Back to Square One (Brandon Bay Babes) (19 page)

She and Jasmine also discussed the perplexing and devastatingly handsome Mr. Jeffrey Jones.
 
And after relaying her entire encounter with him, her friend was nothing if not convinced about what she thought.
 
“He’s in love with you” she concluded.

“Who?
 
J.J.?
 
No!” Kit said firmly.

“Why did he seem so upset about Jeremy and Barnaby then?”

“I have no idea.
 
But according to you, I now have three men in love with me?
 
Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?”

“What can I say, you’re on a roll”
     

“What can I say; I think you’re the one who’s
on
something”

They both laughed.

“So what are you going to do now?” Jasmine asked eagerly.

“A wise woman once told me to do nothing” Kit smiled and took a sip of her diet coke. She’d closed the
Iron curtain
for now and was vowing sobriety for the time being.

Jasmine looked glum. “That may have been a wise thing to say at the time; but there’s certainly no entertainment value in it”
 
      

“This isn’t some perverse version of the “Dating Game” in your eyes, is it?”

Jasmine answered her with a grin.
 
“No, it’s better.
 
You can actually
see
the three guys competing for you.
 
They’re not behind some screen.”

Kit rolled her eyes.
 
Guys didn’t compete for Kit Davidson.
 
Jasmine was living in an alternate world if she believed that; and Kit was not going to visit her there.
 
“Well if you don’t mind, I think I’ll pass on all three for now and just keep on with my painting” she told her emphatically.
 
“I’ve spent my whole life waiting for the phone to ring; believing the whole “I’ll call you” routine and thinking some guy will eventually feel what I feel for him.
 
So now, I’m just going to let nature take its course, put romance out of my mind, and not worry about whether I have a date for New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day”

“If you don’t, you can always count on me as your date”

“Ditto”

“But if you
had
to choose” Jasmine beamed, “I know which one I’d pick, if I were you”

Kit raised a brow. “Oh. Which?”

“The one that makes your eyes sparkle and your face flush when you talk about him”

Narrowing her eyes, Kit scrutinised her friend.
 
“And which one would that be?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out, Cleopatra.”

“Cleopatra?”

“Yeah, I think you’re the
Queen of Denial
at the moment”

“Oh you don’t know squat-diddly Jasmine Peabody” Kit laughed.
 
“I want romance about as much as Hugh Hefner wants FDA approval pulled on Viagra”

“I know I want you to be happy”

“I am happy –without a guy in my life” Kit exclaimed sincerely.
 
Reflecting on what she’d just said, she nodded her head in agreement with herself.
 
Yeah, she was happy.

Jasmine clapped her hands excitedly.
 
“I’ve got it!”

“What have you got?
 
And do I want to know?” Kit asked.

“I’ve been pondering what to sing tonight and now I have the perfect song.
 
Wait here.” she said, getting up from the table.

“Wild horses couldn’t drag me!” Kit shot back at her.

“Yeah but they
may
stampede after hearing me sing” Jasmine laughed back.

Rushing towards the stage at breakneck speed; after a few moments, Jas broke into a spirited and completely out of tune version of “It’s Raining Men” and Kit couldn’t help but smile.
 

It certainly was the perfect song; but she had no intention of getting wet!

The swell of the ocean was awe inspiring and Kit couldn’t help but sigh at its perfection.
 
The sun twinkled on the waves as they made their foaming way to the shore and the sky was almost a periwinkle blue.
 
Capturing it would be difficult, she thought with dismay, but she would try her best to catch its elusive beauty.

Hearing a car door slam close by, Kit sighed.
 
Craig’s Cliff was no doubt a favourite with the tourists, and avoiding them was almost as difficult as keeping your eyes on “Trucker Joe’s” face when he thrust his crotch in your direction.
 

When she heard footsteps headed her way, Kit was already packing up her gear to make a move.
 
It was a stupid idea to try and do some work on a Saturday, it was best to leave it for a Monday or Tuesday when the visitors had departed Brandon Bay
en masse
.
 

“Hope I’m not interrupting you” said a familiar voice from behind.

Kit smiled without turning.
 
“I was just packing up to leave.”

J.J. moved to her side.
 
“How’s it going Kit Kat?”

“Great.
 
And how could it
not
be with a view like this” she replied with a sweeping arm at the ocean in front of them.

“I must say I’m impressed with your Brandon Bay.
 
I can see why Charles is so taken with the place” he said looking out to sea with his hand shielding his eyes from the sun.

Looking at J.J. in profile, Kit was stunned to find him even more attractive than she remembered.
 
His turning up out of the blue when she least expected it, was becoming a habit that could become addictive;
if
she let it.
  
Did he purposely seek her out, or was it pure luck that they kept bumping into one another?
 
“Quite a coincidence meeting you up here Mr. Jones; one might think you’re following me” Kit jested.

He gave her a guilty grin.
 
“It’s not a coincidence.
 
I simply asked Fred at the diner where someone would go if they wanted the best view of the sea; and if they had the inclination to paint it”

“Oh, are you taking up painting?” she smirked.

“Nope.
 
But I was hoping to take my favourite artist to lunch though”

“Sounds great.
 
Help me pack up and I’ll follow you with my car”
   

After loading up Kit’s hatchback, they drove in tandem to a little café on the outskirts of town.
 
Taking a seat on the outdoor patio, they basked in the warm mid-September sun.

“This place is cute; must be new” she stated, stretching lazily in her chair.

“Glad you like it” he shot back somberly, watching her catlike movement with interest.
 
“I discovered it with Charles on our way into the wine country last month.
 
As far as I’m concerned I’ll take one of their burgers over five-star dining any day.
 
Just wait and see.
 
Their burgers are to die for”

Kit leaned forward with her elbows on the table, “Now how did
you
know I was a burger and fries kinda girl?”

“I
didn’t
.
 
But I’m burger and fries kinda guy myself”

“Well, don’t we make a fine pair then” she grinned.

Jeff gave her a slight smile back and changed the subject, “Charles found a house today; he’s making an offer this afternoon”

“Fantastic.
 
Where is it?”

“Up in the hills overlooking the sea.
 
Redwood Drive, I believe”

Kit let out a whistle of appreciation.
 
“Pretty pricey up there”

“He can afford it.
 
He’s going to do a few renovations and then throw a huge party when it’s done –you’re invited by the way”

“Thanks.
 
Can I bring someone?”

J.J. played with his napkin, “A date?” he queried, not looking her in the eye.

She shrugged. “Well if Jasmine counts as a date, then yeah, a date”

J.J. exhaled in understanding. “Oh, a girlfriend”

Their drinks arrived and Kit emptied her glass with a straw in moments.
 
“Man, I was thirsty” she said with an exhausted sigh.
 

“I can see that.
 
Want another coke?”

“Please”

Their burgers were placed in front of them momentarily, and Kit gasped at the generous size of them.
 
They both messily dove into them with abandon.
 
It was nice not having to eat like she was on a date or out to impress.
 
She’d always hated pretending she wasn’t hungry so that some guy wasn’t imagining a future with
Jabba the Hutt
.
 
In fact, she was so comfortable that she began stealing J.J.’s fries from his plate, and he took great joy in slapping her hand away when she did so.

Finishing their meal with a warm and milky latte’, Kit gave a huge sigh.
 
“That was
so
good, wasn’t it?”

Jeff gave her a crooked smirk.
 
“What I
managed
to scoff down was very good, before someone started stealing what didn’t belong to them”

Kit gave him a kittenish pout, “Don’t you know things are always more desirable when they’re
not
yours?”

“They sure are” he uttered with a pensive stare.

A small silence ensued and Kit noticed J.J.’s change in mood.
 
“So how are things at McIntyre and Jones?” she asked, shifting topics.

His face tensed and he gained a look of resignation, “The usual; all about the bottom line and nothing else.
 
I keep hoping it will change.
 
But the board is full of my father’s cronies and well, … It’s just that … well, I just wish that …”

“Yeah? Go on” she probed at his apprehension in spilling.

“I just wish we didn’t have to publish some of the things we do; and that we did the type of magazine that doesn’t automatically become tomorrow’s garbage” he blurted out.