A Night to Remember (4 page)

Joshua and Mrs. Jackson turned toward her in surprise, as if they had somehow forgotten she was in the room. Mrs. Jackson's hard glare made her momentarily flinch, but Eleanor valiantly continued.

“I have an appointment, a commitment really, on Saturday morning that I can't change.” She swallowed hard. “I can leave anytime after 10:30
A.M.
on Saturday if that helps.”

The dour glare from Mrs. Jackson seemed to indicate it didn't help one little bit, but Eleanor doggedly waited for Joshua's response.

“Saturday will be fine. We'll return on Tuesday.”

Eleanor felt her mouth open, but couldn't speak. She turned to Mrs. Jackson in confusion. The older woman looked equally shocked.

“I only meant for Ms. Graham to accompany you on the flight, Joshua,” Mrs. Jackson corrected. “I certainly didn't expect her to spend the weekend at the estate with you as your ... your ... date?”

“Why not?” Joshua said casually. “I think it's the perfect solution. If Ms. Graham is kind enough to do me this personal favor the very least I can do is extend her the famous, or rather infamous, Barton hospitality.”

“I couldn't possibly intrude on a family gathering,” Eleanor said, hardly believing she was arguing. Wasn't this her dream come true? Four days and three nights with Joshua Barton.

“Nonsense. The house will be filled with at least thirty people. There will be additional functions with over a hundred attending. One more guest won't create any difficulties.” He gave her a strange look, then leapt to his feet. “Since I'll have so little time to prepare for meeting Rosemary I'll feel more comfortable having you by my side, Ms. Graham.”

“I ... um ... well,” Eleanor stammered. Coherent speech was impossible as her mind took a wild fanciful flight, light years beyond reality.

“It's settled. I'll return home Friday night and we'll leave on Saturday. At eleven
A.M.
Mrs. Jackson will make all the arrangements and provide you with a schedule of the weekend's events so you'll know what to pack. I believe there is some sort of formal party Sunday night.”

Joshua held up a hand as Mrs. Jackson started sputtering objections. She quieted instantly, pressing her lips into a thin line. She didn't look very happy.

“You know where to reach me if anything unusual comes up while I'm gone, Edna. Call me immediately, regardless of the time,” Joshua instructed his assistant. Turning toward Eleanor he added, “Thanks again for your help. I'll see you on Saturday, Ms. Graham.”

He strode purposefully out the door, taking all the excitement with him. Eleanor's head was spinning. Was this really happening? Was she going to spend a weekend with a man she had dreamed about for untold hours? A man who was totally beyond her sphere, completely unobtainable, so far out of her reach it was almost laughable?

She exhaled a quiet breath, trying to regain her wits, and realized for the first time that she hadn't actually
agreed
to accompany him. But, of course, she would.

And then the reality of the situation hit her full force. Biting her lip in nervous frustration, Eleanor pondered the question that plagued women throughout the ages.
What in the world am I going to wear?

 

 

Joshua walked swiftly through the carpeted hallway. He had a pain behind his eyeballs that was rapidly forming into a tension headache. Thinking about his father usually had that effect on him, probably because they had been at odds with each other for most of the thirty-two years of Joshua's life.

Growing up, the elder Barton had wielded his parental authority like a sword, and Joshua had rebelled at every turn. His mother had provided a much-needed barrier between the volatile father and son, but with her death five years ago the chasm had split wide open.

Joshua's mother had bequeathed her interest in the family business to her son, giving him a controlling majority. Joshua had made an honest effort to work with his father, but when that failed, he forced his father to retire, driving another wedge in an already unstable relationship.

With each passing year they drifted further apart, until eventually they were nothing more than polite strangers. Joshua had not attended his father's private wedding ceremony earlier this year, pleading an unavoidable business obligation.

He realized it was a mistake the night of the wedding, but it was too late. There had been no communication between father and son until a short, handwritten invitation arrived two weeks ago. The significance of this unexpected olive branch was not lost on Joshua. His father was reaching out. And Joshua was determined to do everything within his power to make up for his earlier slight.

“Hello, Mr. Barton.”

A breathless, sexy female voice invaded his thoughts. He glanced up and saw a long-legged golden vision gliding toward him.

Joshua's patented smile came automatically. “Good afternoon, Ms. Colter. I hope you're having a pleasant and productive day.”

Ms. Colter's eyes widened with unconcealed excitement, probably because he remembered her name even though she had only worked at the firm a few months.

Ms. Colter slowed her steps noticeably, eager for an opportunity to chat, but Joshua nodded his head dismissively and kept walking. He had learned long ago to protect himself against feminine wiles, especially when the woman in question was an employee. In an age of sexual harassment lawsuits it made good business sense to maintain a professional distance.

Besides, the last thing he needed right now was the complication of a relationship. Past experiences in that area of his life were not among his finest accomplishments.

“Joshua, wait!”

He stopped, turned at the sound of the familiar voice, and watched Edna race toward him.

“It is a major mistake bringing Ms. Graham to North Carolina,” Edna stated without preamble. “With a little effort I know we can devise a much simpler, far more efficient plan.”

Joshua shook his head and smiled. Edna's forthright, no-nonsense manner was one of the qualities he admired most about her. Even if it did make him nuts sometimes.

“I've already made my decision. She's coming with me.”

They reached the elevator. Joshua stabbed at the button, then held the door and politely waited for his assistant to precede him. The moment the doors shut, Edna spoke.

“I'll have Ms. Graham write a summary report for you, emphasizing the highlights of Rosemary's career. I can fax the report to your hotel the moment it's done. You'll have the remainder of the week to familiarize yourself with the details. I'll also purchase an assortment of Rosemary's books so you can read them before you arrive. They must be short if they're written for children. You can probably read at least a dozen of them on the plane.”

Joshua watched Edna hastily scribble notes on the small memo pad she always seemed to have in her hand. He gave her a curious look.

“Why are you so negative about Ms. Graham? I thought she was the perfect solution to my problem.”

“You've got to be kidding!” Edna nearly dropped her memo pad. “She's a disaster. A totally inappropriate companion for you. She babbles, Joshua. And her appearance! There was a hole in her stocking the size of a moon crater, her hair looked like it had been combed with an eggbeater, and her face was smudged with black ink. I heard a rumor that she fell in the lake at the company picnic. I can't even begin to imagine what your father will think when you walk into his home with Ms. Graham on your arm.”

“Don't be such a snob,” Joshua said, unexpectedly annoyed by Edna's judgmental tone. “Ms. Graham will be fine. Besides, her complexion is flawless. I'm sure she'll clean up very nicely.”

Edna's response was a huffy snort and a raised eyebrow.

The elevator doors opened, saving Joshua from further arguments. But Edna matched his long strides and marched with him step for step to his office.

“I am through discussing this,” Joshua stated emphatically. He closed the office door after them. “I want to show my father that I care about him and that I'm interested in his new wife. Ms. Graham can help me do that, Edna.”

The older woman sighed in frustration. “I know I can't budge you once you've made up your mind. But for the record, I want my objections noted.”

“Fine.”

They stared at each other for a full twenty seconds before Edna turned on her heel, breaking the impasse. The door shut behind her with a forceful bang. Joshua expelled a heavy breath. He closed his eyes and rubbed the lids. His headache was getting worse.

He really hated it when Edna was right. The simpler solution to this problem would be a detailed report from Ms. Graham. There was no logical reason for her to spend the weekend with him.

Yet he wanted her with him, standing beside him. He thought he had recognized her as the woman who had fallen into the pond but he wasn't sure until Edna had mentioned it. In his opinion she had shown grace and humor under the most difficult of circumstances. Perhaps that was exactly what he needed this weekend—a little comic relief.

He was inordinately pleased to discover she was not an employee's wife as he had first suspected when he had viewed her lush wet form. There was an indefinable, intangible
something,
strangely appealing, about her that intrigued Joshua. He was so used to female interest that it rarely affected him, but the naked admiration in Ms. Graham's warm brown eyes had given his masculinity a raw jolt.

Dry, she didn't inspire wild, sensual thoughts ... exactly. Physically she was shorter, plainer, and rounder than any other woman he had ever dated. Although he had thought about that wet T-shirt clinging to her chest more than once these past few weeks.

Still, she was hardly a brilliant conversationalist, although their meetings thus far had been too brief and under such bizarre circumstances it was impossible to make a fair judgment. So he couldn't logically determine where his interest in her was coming from.

Maybe it was just a reaction to the anticipated tension of meeting his father again. Or perhaps he was simply acting rebelliously true to form by bringing a clearly unsuitable companion with him. Whatever the reason, he had made his decision and he fully intended to stick by it.

Unfortunately he had forgotten to ask Edna a few things about the inappropriate Ms. Graham. Like what the devil was her first name? And why did she know so much about children's literature and his recently acquired stepmother Rosemary Phillips? However, given Edna's current mood, Joshua wisely elected to let those two items remain a mystery for a bit longer.

“I don't see my mommy anywhere.”

“That's okay,” Eleanor said in a deliberately bright tone. She smiled encouragingly and glanced down at Jennifer. “I'm sure she's here somewhere. Let's go look for her together.”

The little girl sniffled and took a shaky breath, but held back her tears. Eleanor winced silently as Jennifer clutched her hand, squeezing Eleanor's fingers in a viselike death grip. She was awfully strong for a four-year-old.

Hand in hand they traversed the crowded children's department of the library, dodging kids with armloads of books, stepping over a pile of puzzle pieces strewn on the floor, and detouring around a group of energetic toddlers.

“Do you see her?” Jennifer asked, ending her question with a woeful hiccup. “Do you see my mommy?”

“Not yet,” Eleanor replied, turning up her cheerfulness another notch.

She scooped down and picked up a stuffed yellow bunny that was lying in their path, handing it to Jennifer.

“You hold onto this,” Eleanor instructed, hoping to distract the little girl. She suspected if Jennifer's mom didn't appear soon there were going to be a few tears and a lot of panic. Eleanor felt ill equipped to deal with either.

“Mommy!” Jennifer lit up with enthusiasm. She dropped the stuffed rabbit and Eleanor's hand and raced toward her mother. “Where were you? I've been waiting forever and ever for you to come.”

“Is story time over already?”

“We just finished,” Eleanor replied, hoping to ease the guilty flush from Jennifer's mom's face. The poor woman seemed exhausted and looked about nine-and-a-half months pregnant.

“Thanks so much for staying with her.” Jennifer's mom rubbed her bulging stomach distractedly. “She's been very clingy these past few days. I think she's feeling a bit insecure.”

“No problem,” Eleanor said reassuringly. “She was very brave.” Eleanor patted Jennifer's shoulder. “I'll see you next Saturday, Jen.”

“Bye, Miss Graham.”

Peace restored to her world, Jennifer happily trailed her mother out of the library, chattering every step of the way. Eleanor felt a strange, funny ache as she watched them leave. Mother and daughter, comfortable and happy with each other.

Was this something she wanted for herself? A little girl to spend time with and share a few special and even some not-so-special moments? Eleanor had never thought of herself as a particularly maternal person before but lately she had experienced some unusual stabs of yearning whenever she was around children.

Even the annoying ones.

Dangerous thoughts, indeed.

Shaking off her odd mood Eleanor once again scooped up the rabbit and put it away in the toy box, then glanced around the children's room of the Somerville County Library. It was the usual Saturday morning bedlam. Parents and kids everywhere, working at the computer terminals, huddled together at low tables, scrambling among the stacks searching for books. Eleanor loved every wild, crazy minute of it.

“I've picked up the puppets and put away most of the books from your story time, Eleanor. I can have someone straighten out the rest of the story room later. What time did you say your ride was coming?”

“Eleven.” Eleanor smiled in appreciation at the young library assistant. It was one of the things she liked best about working at the library. Everyone always lent a hand, without being told or asked.

“I'm going to get my tote bag and purse out of my locker,” Eleanor said, checking her watch. “If someone shows up asking for me, let them know I'll be right out.”

“Sure.”

Eleanor hurried out of the department. Her gaze moved beyond the clusters of kids and parents, then stopped abruptly on the solitary man standing in the entrance arch. He was looking around curiously, as if he had never seen the inside of a library before.

Joshua!

Eleanor halted in her tracks. For a split second everything inside her went still. His perfectly creased khaki pants, pressed blue oxford button-down shirt, polished loafers, and expertly tailored navy blazer should have made him look totally out of place in this bastion of suburbia. But they didn't.

Eleanor remembered a friend once saying that a man who's comfortable in his own skin is comfortable anywhere. That expression certainly defined Joshua. He had that easy confidence that people have when they are successful at what they do and a relaxed grace that made you want to watch him and him alone.

“Ms. Graham?”

“Hello, Mr. Barton.” A stray brown curl fell across Eleanor's face. She quickly looped it behind her ear. “I wasn't expecting you. Mrs. Jackson said she would send a car to take me to the airport.”

“My driver is waiting out front. No doubt double-parked.” Joshua frowned. “The parking lot is a madhouse.”

“Sorry.” Eleanor dipped her head. “It's always crazy around here on Saturdays, especially in the morning. I'll go grab my things. I promise it will only take a few minutes.”

She leaped away before he had a chance to protest, returning in record time.

“Ready?” Eleanor asked in what she hoped was a confident voice. Her palms were sweaty and her stomach was fluttering like she had swallowed a bird, but she was steadfast in her determination to conquer her nerves.

This was really happening. Fate had mysteriously placed her in the path of her most secret desire and she had spent every night of the past week vowing to make it a memory that would last a lifetime. Of course the real trick would be to make it a
positive
memory.

A few moments later they were safely inside Joshua's chauffeur-driven Bentley. Eleanor was trying hard to act as though it were a common occurrence to be driven around in such luxury and failing miserably.

The car was incredible. The leather seats felt as soft as silk and she could see her reflection in the polished wood accents of the car's interior. It even smelled luxurious.

Eleanor took a deep breath, scrunched her shoulders, and snuggled back into the leather. It was heavenly.

“Do you spend a lot of time at the library?”

Startled, Eleanor jumped up. Lost in the unexpected sensual enjoyment of her environment, she had nearly forgotten Joshua was sitting beside her. She looked over at him and smiled timidly.

“I'm at the library every Saturday morning doing children's programs. Story times, arts and crafts, holiday events, whatever is needed. I even did a puppet show one morning. I was a terrible puppeteer, but the kids didn't seem to mind. They laughed along with me at all my mistakes.”

“You work there?” Shock widened Joshua's piercing dark eyes. “As a second job? Do I need to seriously evaluate the pay scale for my employees and make some adjustments?”

“Of course not,” Eleanor answered. She nervously plucked off a piece of lint from her skirt. “The only reason I can afford to work part-time at the library is because I have a real job at Hamilton, Barton and Jones.”

Joshua cocked his head. “Why do you work there if you don't need the money?”

Eleanor squirmed, then lowered her head. She willed herself not to blush. “Because I want to be a children's librarian, not a financial analyst,” she murmured.

“Excuse me?”

Her head shot up in defiance. “I said I want to be a children's librarian.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” She folded her arms across her chest. “I attend classes two nights a week and have already successfully completed more than half the required courses. If I continue at this rate, I should have my degree by next spring.”

Joshua lifted one eyebrow. “You have to go to school and take special classes to work in a library?”

“Yes,” Eleanor replied frostily as he hit a nerve with his all-too-familiar question. “In fact you need an advanced degree to be a librarian.” She regarded him pointedly. “A master's degree.”

“Uhmm. I guess there is more to being a librarian than learning how to
shhhhhh
people.”

Eleanor opened her mouth to issue a scathing retort to Joshua's condescending comment but halted when she noticed the glimmer of amusement twinkling in his eyes.

She broke into a small smile. “Well, there is an exciting course on buying sensible shoes I can't wait to take. The class fills up fast, but I'm hoping to snag a space next semester.”

He laughed. “So that's how you know so much about Rosemary's books. I asked Edna how she knew you would be knowledgeable about children's literature but I never got a straight answer.”

“Mrs. Jackson must have seen a copy of my continuing education request for reimbursement form. When I started my graduate program I took mostly business reference and computer technology courses and the firm willingly paid for them. However once I ventured into kiddie lit, I was on my own.”

“Why don't you like working at my company?” Joshua asked quietly.

Joshua's face revealed mild curiosity, but his voice had an almost forlorn tone. Eleanor's throat constricted. She suddenly felt terribly disloyal.

“It's not your company,” Eleanor insisted. She bit her lower lip. How could she possibly explain to a man whose entire professional life was based on making huge sums of money that his type of work brought her no joy?

“I just don't want to spend my days crunching numbers and writing reports,” Eleanor said carefully. “I've discovered a career that brings me real pleasure and I plan on pursuing it.”

“What about financial security?”

“Have you been talking to my mother?”

He laughed again. Eleanor immediately decided it was a sound she could listen to all afternoon. She grinned hesitantly, hardly believing the personal direction in which the conversation had been heading. She wasn't used to such genuine male interest. It was, unfortunately, something she could quickly learn to enjoy. Especially if it came from this particular man.

“Your mother doesn't approve of your new career choice?” Joshua asked.

Eleanor shook her head. “She thinks I've lost my mind giving up a promising career in the corporate world of finance to be, as she calls it, ‘a modestly paid public servant.' ”

“Ummm, parental objections.” Joshua grimaced knowingly. “Something I've had a bit of experience with.”

“Gosh, who'd ever look at the two of us and believe we have the same problem.”

“Who, indeed?”

Their gazes met in merry understanding. Joshua's eyes were so warm and inviting, his smile achingly sensual. Eleanor felt herself sway toward him ever so slightly, wondering dreamily if she closed her eyes, would he kiss her?

“We should be at the airport in twenty minutes, Mr. Barton.”

The chauffeur's deep voice shattered the spell. Eleanor pulled herself back abruptly. Her heart began beating at a maddening pace while her cheeks began to heat. She cast her gaze out the darkened car window.

Pull yourself together,
Eleanor lectured herself sternly.
He's just making polite conversation. He is not in any way, shape, or form interested in you. As a woman. And it's certainly bordering on the pathetic when you interpret good manners and innate kindness as sexual interest.

But how in heaven's name was she going to cope with her perfectly understandable and completely inappropriate attraction to him?

Eleanor pondered this question in gloomy silence, but as the car sped past a large strip mall she sat up in alarm.

“Oh goodness, I almost forgot. We need to make a quick stop before we reach the airport.” She turned toward Joshua apologetically. “I have to pick up my dress. For the formal dinner on Sunday evening.”

“No problem.”

Joshua lowered the privacy partition and Eleanor hastily gave the chauffeur directions. In ten minutes the car pulled up to the front curb of the small dress shop.

She opened the door without waiting for the chauffeur, committing what she felt sure was a major breach of the rich-and-famous etiquette, judging by the driver's startled expression.

“I'll be right back,” Eleanor shouted, making a mad dash for the store. The last thing she wanted was to walk into this small shop with either Joshua or his chauffeur. It would simply be too mortifying for either of them to know that she was in fact renting a formal gown for the weekend instead of buying one.

Eleanor expected to be in and out of the store in five minutes or less. However, she ran into a rather sticky problem. They couldn't find the dress she had spent three agonizing hours selecting.

“Are you absolutely certain that my dress isn't here?” Eleanor cried in frustration. “It's dark blue, with silver trim around the neck and sleeves. I specifically told the salesclerk I would be in this morning to pick it up and pay for the rental.”

“I already checked twice,” the young salesgirl declared in a bored voice. “It's not here.”

“Well, please look again,” Eleanor insisted in a firm voice. “I absolutely must have that gown. Now!”

The girl flipped her hair over her shoulder and stalked away in a huff.

“What's the delay?”

Eleanor silently groaned in frustration when she heard Joshua's deep, sensual voice.

“Apparently they've lost my dress,” she finally admitted, certain that this sort of thing never, ever happened to people like Joshua.

He glanced about the shop curiously. “Don't they have another one?”

“I doubt it,” Eleanor muttered under her breath. “My luck is never that good.”

The salesgirl returned with a superior smirk on her face and empty hands. Eleanor didn't bother saying anything. What was the use? She turned around in defeat and left.