Chapter 6
Jordan glanced at his phone, the minutes steadily slipping away. He’d arranged this, knowing he had to make the effort to stay in touch, but already EJ was late for their breakfast, and EJ was never late.
He studied the white-sailed yachts skimming across the harbour.
The grey skies weren’t exactly tourist friendly, but the air didn’t yet hold the chill of winter.
It’d be a good day for a run, then a talk; then maybe they could finally spend some quality time together.
Maybe even watch a movie together. The open air cinema in the Royal Botanic Gardens was done for the season, but there were other places that could work.
Memories flashed of simpler times, when EJ had laughed more and been less stressed, and he wondered—not for the first time—whether pushing this app to greater heights was actually in EJ’s best interests.
Lord, You need to give me wisdom about what to say to her. I feel like things are tricky enough between us at the moment, and I don’t want to make things worse.
A tap on the shoulder drew his attention to a smiling EJ. “Hi.”
“Hi!” She quickly hugged him. “I’m so sorry I’m late. I slept in.”
“I left you a couple of messages. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just had a late night.”
He’d wondered what she was doing. She hadn’t responded to his messages last night. “Where were you?”
“Oh. Remember how I’ve talked about Gwen?”
He nodded. How could he forget? The woman seemed to be EJ’s new bestie.
“She asked me to a function last night where I got to meet a bunch of people. I thought I might meet some potential investors for Dream Match.”
“And did you?”
“Possibly. I don’t know yet.”
He studied her as she glanced at the menu attached to the harbourside café’s outside wall.
The EJ he knew would normally be spilling over with enthusiasm about the potential for investors.
The fact she wasn’t told him something else.
That maybe there was someone else she didn’t want him knowing about.
Still, he refused to play the guessing game. “Was Eric Churchill there?” Subtle as a sledgehammer, that was him.
She startled, looking up. “How did you know?”
“Lucky guess.” Or unlucky, as the case may be. Something hot and green spurted within.
Not that it was a guess. More an educated deduction.
Harriet had emailed him about his and EJ’s time at the restaurant, then mentioned her excitement that Eric Churchill had been there.
It hadn’t taken too much investigation to find that this Eric character was the sleazy dude who’d sent EJ champagne.
“Did he talk to you?” he pressed.
“Why?”
Put like that, what could he say that wouldn’t make him sound jealous? “Just curious.” He shrugged. “It seemed odd that the man sent you champagne, then he’s there at a function.”
Fear streaked through Jordan. Eric must like her.
And Eric Churchill was the kind of man to have connections everywhere.
And if he liked EJ, then there was no telling what the man would do to get her attention.
On the other hand, if he disliked EJ—or Jordan—there was no telling what he might do to destroy them—and Dream Match.
“I think it’s more of this ‘in crowd’ mentality,” she mused. “There were a lot of people there who seem to know each other well. But get this. One of them, Neil Elton, is from Wooten Vale.”
“Really? I’ve never heard of any Eltons.” Then he realised she might be saying this to distract him. “So did this Eric dude talk to you?”
She sighed. “Why do you keep harping about this? We talked, but it was kind of weird, so I left.”
“What was weird?”
“Oh my gosh, Jordan. Now you’re being weird. If you don’t stop, I’m leaving.”
“Hey, I’m sorry. I’m just worried about you.”
“I’m not yours to worry about.”
“You’re my friend, and that means I’ll always care about you and want your best.”
Her head tipped. “And what if that best is Eric Churchill?”
Every cell within him roared: No way was that dude best for EJ. He forced himself to calm. “Is he a Christian?”
“I just knew you’d say that,” she muttered.
“Look, if you like a guy, then you gotta make sure you hold the same values. And I’m gonna be honest here. His lifestyle isn’t exactly screaming that he follows Jesus.”
“Why? Because he’s a millionaire?”
“He’s had two broken engagements and a string of girlfriends—”
“That’s not a crime.”
“—and he doesn’t seem to have any real purpose.”
“How would you know?” she demanded. “Have you ever spoken to the man?”
“No.” Wow, defensive much?
“Then how can you sit there and judge? You don’t know him. You don’t know what he might’ve given to charities. But I really don’t want to talk about this anymore.” She sighed, glanced again at the menu on the outside of the café. “Now, did you want to run first or eat?”
“Let’s run.” He needed to work out some of the kinks in his body—and some of the kinks in his heart. Kinks with names like Gwen. And Eric.
They followed their usual route, her in front, him behind, just like they seemed to be in life too. EJ always liked to lead the way; he was happy to follow.
Their path took them on steps down near the harbour, then along near Luna Park.
Lavender Bay was one of the many little bays and inlets of this northern stretch of Sydney Harbour, and the heritage-listed amusement park commanding some of Sydney’s best views had been a place he and EJ had visited many times.
They ran all the way to Henry Lawson Reserve, then back along the foreshore and the parks.
The grey clouds overhead mightn’t be a tourist’s dream, but it made their run cooler.
By the time they finished the circuit, finishing back at the café they’d set out from, he was really ready for that coffee.
Fortunately there was a free table outside, so she nabbed that while he placed their order. “Usual?”
EJ nodded, distracted by her phone.
He ordered two flat whites, hers with skim milk, and two bacon-and-egg rolls. EJ’s one indulgence. He paid then headed back to their table.
EJ glanced up, then hastily shoved her phone away.
His heart tensed. Interesting. He nodded to her phone. “Your folks?”
“Huh? Oh. No, it was Gwen.”
Gwen. Again. “What did she want?”
She winced. Oh, so this probably wasn’t going to be news he wanted to hear. “Okay, now don’t get mad, but Gwen told me she gave my number to Eric.”
“Eric Churchill?” No. Please say no.
She nodded. “I feel a little helpless, but it’s not like I can do anything about it.”
“You could. You could tell her that’s not what friends do.”
“I know. It feels like an invasion of privacy.”
“Because it is. And if Gwen doesn’t know that, then—”
“But I can kind of understand why she did it. There’s something a little too persuasive about Eric. I can understand her having a hard time saying no.”
He reached across the table and grasped her hands. “Which is exactly why I’m concerned about you. If this Gwen woman can’t say no to him, how are you going to?”
She straightened, pulling her hands away. “I’m not completely clueless.”
Are you sure? he wanted to say but didn’t. He drew in a deep breath. “Look, you need to be careful. Send her another message and say you don’t want him to have your number, and ask him to delete it.”
She nodded, attention on her phone. “Okay.” She composed her message then paused as a notification came in. She lifted it, read the message, then bit her lip.
Her swift glance at Jordan told him everything he needed to know. “It’s him, isn’t it?”
She winced. “What do I say?”
“What has he said?”
She pushed the phone to him, and he read the message.
“Hope you don’t mind that Gwen gave me your number. I had fun talking last night. Let me know when you’re free for a drink.”
Jealousy reared up, thick and strong. He swallowed the taste of bile. “You should block him.”
“But—”
“But nothing. He’s a womaniser. You’re a woman.”
“Are you serious? He’s not interested in me.”
“Are you serious? EJ, he’s asking when you’re free for a drink. That sounds to me like he wants a date.”
She made a scoffing noise. “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not like that.”
Why was she speaking like she wanted Eric to be interested in her “like that”? “So what is it like?” he challenged.
She shook her head. “I think he’s curious because I didn’t want him to have my number. He’s not used to people saying no.”
Huh. Maybe he hadn’t given her as much credit as he should have.
EJ bit her lip, her gaze skittish, not settling on him or anywhere else for too long.
“What?”
She sighed. “I don’t know what to do. I thought maybe I could get him interested in investing in the app, but he ignored that. Now I feel like if I ignore him, who knows what will happen? He’s powerful, Jordan. He’s got connections.”
Just like the mob boss he’d warned her about before.
“He could hurt the app’s chances of development.”
“Right now I’m more concerned about his chances of hurting you.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, as their coffees and bacon-and-egg rolls were placed on the table.
“Thanks.” He waited until the server had gone, then faced EJ again. “Well, let’s face it. I’ve seen pictures of the kind of women he’s dated in the past. And you’re not exactly like them.”
Her face shadowed. “Thank you. I’m aware I’m not a blonde model type.”
“I don’t mean to say you’re ugly—”
Her mouth dropped.
“Wait! I’m not saying that at all!” Talk about foot in mouth.
He’d just eaten a whole shoe store. “EJ, you’re really pretty.
” A complete understatement—she was beautiful.
The look she shot him said he needed to try a lot harder.
“Look, I’m just saying that you’re not a model, you’re a supersmart tech geek who happens to be attractive.
You’re just not the usual type of arm candy he’s been seen with. ”