Holiday at Magnolia Bay (Southern Born Christmas Book 1) (3 page)

Jenna slid past Macy and out of the office.

“Nobody hopes they’re wrong more than I do, Jenna,” Macy continued as she followed her down the hall. “But you said it yourself, Perry practically ignored you the first three months he was here. Then he finds out you’re good friends with Evie Song—not to mention her millions that could fund his turtle hatchery project—and suddenly he’s Doctor Charming, wining and dining you every night and dangling romantic getaways in your face.”

Stopping abruptly so that Macy nearly bowled her over, Jenna scanned the empty hallway to make sure no one was listening. “Perhaps he ‘ignored’ me because he was a gentleman and he knew I was in a relationship.” Jenna put her hand up to stop her roommate from saying anything more. If Macy was unenthusiastic about Perry’s intentions, she was downright negative about Sam. “I’ve already conceded that my relationship with Sam was just one long booty call on his part so he could hijack our Internet connection and swipe our spare change. I rectified my mistake as soon as I came to my senses. But Perry is a grown-up with direction in his life and a career.”

“Yeah, too bad his career makes him your boss.”

Jenna sighed. “Technically, he’s not my boss. He reports to a board of directors and donors. I report to the State Fish and Wildlife Service. We just happen to work at the same place.” She’d made a point of re-reading her contract to clarify that point when Perry’s smiles had become a bit more flirtatious several weeks ago. Not that their relationship had evolved further than a few serious kisses, but Jenna was flattered to have attracted the attention of the Australian oceanographer. Not only was he famous in his field, but he was charismatic and gorgeous to boot. Sure, when she was around him, her body didn’t come alive as quickly as it had this morning with Military Man, but she was definitely starting to feel a sizzle whenever they were together. She could build on that. “It’s actually quite refreshing to have someone to discuss my day with who actually understands what I’m talking about.”

Macy flinched at her words and Jenna felt a pang of guilt. Her roommate had dropped out of college—the reason a closely guarded secret that Macy didn’t share with anyone—only recently earning her associates degree in photography at the local community college.

“I may not be a PhD but I do know what fish smells like and this guy reeks of it. If you don’t see through him, Miss Evie will.”

“And if Miss Evie thinks he’s the genuine guy that I think he is?”

Macy conceded a sigh. “Then I’ll photograph your wedding for free.”

Jenna laughed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Macy. Today’s lunch is strictly about business. I’m putting together a great scientist with a friend of mine who happens to like sea turtles and wouldn’t mind using her inheritance to further research in the area.” She gave her friend a cheeky smile. “But if I come home tonight with a happy smile on my face, you’ll know more than the meeting was a success.”

Her roommate let out a defeated groan as Jenna entered the reception area outside Perry’s office.

“I’m sorry I’m late, Millie. He’s probably getting a little edgy by now. I can text Addison, Miss Evie’s assistant, and let her know we’re running a little bit late. No worries.”

The receptionist looked up from her desk, a confused expression on her face.

“What are you late for, darlin’?”

“Lunch. Perry and I are having lunch with Eveline Song today to discuss funding for the turtle hatchery.” A shiver of unease ran down Jenna’s spine at the perplexed look in Millie’s eyes.

“Dr. Duhamel isn’t late. He left for the lunch a half hour ago.”

“He left without me?” Jenna could feel Macy’s
I-told-you-so
look burning a hole between her shoulder blades. “We were supposed to go together. He wanted me to introduce Miss Evie to him.”

Millie’s eyes darted around the room. “Well, he never mentioned to me that you were going with him. I would have put it on the calendar. When I confirmed with that Addison woman, I only mentioned there’d be two joining her for lunch.”

“Yes. Two. Perry and me.”

“Nooo.” Millie dragged out the word as pink stained her cheeks. “Dr. Duhamel and Dr. Scott.”

“Dr. Scott?” There wasn’t anyone at the Center by the name of Dr. Scott.

“Yes. Dr. Imogene Scott,” Millie said softly. “From Australia. She’s Dr. Duhamel’s fiancée.”

‡

D
rew shifted his
long legs trying in vain to get comfortable on the wicker sofa he’d sprawled out on. From his perch in a quiet corner of his godmother’s roomy, sun porch, he peered over his half-empty bottle of beer taking in the little scene playing out before him. Aunt Evie had told him one of her dear friends was coming for lunch today, a friend she was eager for Drew to meet. He’d envisioned a meal of cucumber sandwiches and canasta with two white haired ladies, but what he got was infinitely more entertaining.

Two Aussies who claimed to be doctors of something related to the ocean had showed up instead. Aunt Evie seemed a little miffed, as though she’d forgotten she’d invited them to dine with her. Not that there was any food being consumed. The couple had been here for nearly forty-five minutes. The guy named Perry Something-Or-Other was trying his best to charm his godmother with his surfer boy blonde curls and blue eyes, while his gorgeous partner sat rigidly on the sofa. She was a looker, for sure, blonde and blue-eyed like her conspirator. But her athletic, tanned body screamed
do-not-touch
. Clearly, she was along as ornamentation and nothing more.

Drew wasn’t sure why his godmother was drawing out the luncheon by playing the eccentric heiress when it was clear that Surfer Dude and his Plastic Partner were here for one thing only: her money. The thing about Aunt Evie was she was a lot more on the ball than most people assumed an eighty-eight-year-old woman should be; a misperception that she frequently used to her advantage. Drew was fairly confident no one could swindle her, so he kept his guard relaxed as he watched her toy with the scientists.

Aunt Evie sat on the cushioned settee, her wrinkled neck draped with pearls, as she slowly stroked the back of her sadistic Persian cat, Zarah. “I tested out my casket yesterday,” she announced to the room. Drew nearly choked on his swallow of beer. To his credit, Surfer Dude didn’t flinch. He was probably smugly counting the zeros in the check he was now sure Aunt Evie would write for him.

“The lining exactly matches the champagne color of my hair. I ordered it that way, you know,” she continued. Perry’s sidekick squirmed a little.

Drew bit the side of his cheek to keep from laughing. His father would howl with amusement when he heard this story. Aunt Evie was laying it on a little bit thick, even for her, but that didn’t mean her antics weren’t entertaining. Drew was a little disappointed when Perry’s response to his godmother’s zany statement was interrupted by the sound of the French doors being furiously flung open. Until he saw who was sweeping into the room.

Damn, that woman sure could make an entrance
.

Much like she’d stormed out of the ocean earlier that morning, Jenna of the Sea marched into the room on a tide of fury, only this time it was tightly leashed. She was wearing a bit more clothing than she had on the beach, too; some sort of khaki uniform that did nothing to enhance her appearance, camouflaging the luscious curves he’d glimpsed earlier. Her hair was pulled back in a severe ponytail that slashed through the air like a sword as she surveyed the occupants of the room.

Perry looked a bit sheepish, rising halfway from his seat only to squat right back down after meeting Jenna’s angry eyes. Drew sucked in a breath at the quick flash of pain he glimpsed in them before she looked over at Aunt Evie. Jenna’s face softened into a genuine smile for the older woman.

“Jenna.” Not surprising, his godmother had gone from crazy to lucid in three seconds flat. “No need to be so upset, Sugar, we’ve held lunch for you. I’m just so glad you could finally make it.”

“Yes, Jenna, we’re glad you’re here,” Perry said. The doctor wiped his palm down the thigh of his slacks as he stealthily put a little distance between himself and his plastic sidekick.

“Hmm.” Jenna leveled a furious frown at Perry, her lips clamped together tightly as if she didn’t trust the words that might escape. Drew watched raptly as the muscles in her long neck swallowed whatever it was she wanted to say. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your…friend?” she finally asked.

Suddenly the room was fraught with tension. Aunt Evie’s eyes narrowed as she studied Perry. The woman he’d brought with him also eyed him expectantly. Drew didn’t need years of covert training to decipher that something was going down here. He’d bet his Triumph T100 motorcycle he’d restored by hand that Dr. Surfer Boy was responsible for the flicker of hurt that had crossed Jenna’s face when she’d entered the room and Drew had no idea why, but her obvious pain bothered the hell out of him.

Perry reluctantly rose from the sofa. “Of course.” He gestured to the woman beside him. “Jenna Huntley, allow me to introduce Dr. Imogene Scott. Dr. Scott is coordinating the hatchery project in Melbourne. I thought it would be a good idea to share with Miss Song all aspects of the project.”

Jenna smiled at that. It wasn’t particularly a nice smile, Drew thought. It was more like one of those pre-emptive smirks a woman gives you right before she goes for the testicles.

“Ahh. Like you shared all the
aspects
of your life with me?”

Oh yeah, right for the balls. Perry flinched as though she’d scored a direct hit. Drew felt more alive than he had in weeks. Years of working as a SEAL had taught him how to quickly size up a situation—oftentimes his life and that of others depended on it—and he was pretty sure he knew the plot of the little soap opera being played out in his godmother’s lanai. Dr. Surfer Dude wanted Aunt Evie’s money. Most likely Jenna was up to her sexy neck in the plan, too, before Perry decided to go in another direction—one that obviously included his pretty plastic sidekick instead of Jenna.

Drew could have offered Perry some very useful advice: An op never went well when women were involved. Because where women are involved, sex was involved and even the most cold-hearted, mercenary woman can get her heart broken. Drew knew this because he’d done it. From the looks of it, so had Perry.

Jenna’s lips tightened as she struggled to maintain her tense smile. Drew shifted on the uncomfortable sofa again. This time, his discomfort was confined to one part of his anatomy, though. Despite a long cold shower, he’d been dreaming of those lips all morning long. They’d actually been a welcome distraction.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Dr. Scott,” Jenna said without a trace of bitterness creeping into her voice. Her performance was Oscar worthy and Drew nearly gave her a salute with his beer. “And may I offer my congratulations on your engagement.”
Whoa!
He watched as Perry flinched again.

There was no holding back Drew’s laughter this time. His loud chuckle reverberated around the room, disrupting whatever comeback Perry might have tried to make. Much as it had this morning, Jenna’s head snapped around, a look of surprised horror on her face. This was the second time that day she hadn’t noticed him. If he weren’t in the business of going around undetected half the time, his ego might have taken a little hit.

“Oh, Andrew, come over here and join us,” Aunt Evie demanded. “As long as we’re making introductions again, I’ve been dying for you to meet my lovely young friend, Jenna.” She winked at Perry. “In this case, Doctor, dying is just an expression. I won’t be needing that casket today, don’t you worry.”

Jenna was still wearing her startled doe-eyed look as Drew pulled himself off the sofa and ambled across the room to stand beside his godmother’s chair.

“Jenna, dear, come here and meet my favorite godson.” Aunt Evie’s eyes sparkled as she patted the hand he’d rested on her shoulder. She lowered her voice so as to sound like she was whispering conspiratorially with Jenna, while ensuring the entire room overheard. “Just don’t tell my other godson, his brother, Jack,” she giggled. Drew smiled hearing the familiar introduction. He suspected she said the same about Jack when Drew wasn’t around. Aunt Evie had no family to speak of except for Drew’s brother, their father and himself. The Lanham family wasn’t even blood relatives, yet he still loved her like the grandmother he’d never known.

“Drew, this lovely young woman is
Miss
—” Aunt Evie paused briefly at the word, undoubtedly to make Drew aware of Jenna’s single status. Drew watched as a blush stained Jenna’s cheeks. “—Jenna Huntley. Jenna is a marine biologist at the Magnolia Bay Turtle Rescue Center. She’s been passionate about the turtles since she was knee high to a grasshopper, and we’re so glad she decided to keep her talent and enthusiasm right here in Magnolia Bay.”

“Actually, Aunt Evie, I’ve already gotten a taste of Miss Huntley’s passion and enthusiasm, first hand.” Drew bit back a grin as Jenna’s blush deepened at the innuendo. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Perry stiffen agitatedly on the sofa. “Our paths crossed on the beach this morning.”