Chapter Seventeen #2
I shot him a look, still vibrating with nerves I refused to name. “You didn’t give me much of a choice.”
His charming dimples nearly undid me. “Jess, it’s not an ambush. Janine wants to meet you. What’s the big deal?”
The big deal? That she was the person in his life. The one whose opinion mattered most. She’d already met me once under less than flattering circumstances. If I blew this, there might not be a second chance.
But I couldn’t say that—not without giving away just how much his sister’s approval already mattered to me.
So I forced a shrug. “It’s no big deal. How was work?”
“Good. Productive. What about you? Did you finish all the arrangements for Saturday?”
“Yep,” I said, tapping the wheel. “Well, except for writing my… thingies. Speeches, anecdotes, all that boring crap that makes me want to claw my eyes out at art exhibits. Nothing worse than watching an artist stand there kissing their own ass. Like ‘Look at me, I’m brilliant, I’m profound, worship my brushstrokes.
’ Ugh.” I shuddered and made a left turn.
Sebastian chuckled. “I don’t see the problem. You don’t have to exaggerate. Just talk about your process. Like, with the girls’ sketches, you could start with friendship, then explain why you chose to draw your friends that way. Keep it personal, not pretentious.”
I shot him a sideways glance, arching a brow. “Not bad. What about the stylized seasons paintings? What would you say about those?”
He rubbed his chin, pretending to think deeply. “Well, you could talk about what each season has meant since ancient times. Mythology, symbolism, whatever inspires you. What’s your favorite mythology?”
“Greek,” I replied instantly. “I know their entire pantheon by heart. Visiting Greece is on my bucket list.”
His lips curved in a sly smile. “Noted. Then talk about the seasons in Greek mythology. Demeter, Persephone, the cycles of life. People will eat that up.”
I blinked at him, surprised and a little touched. “You’re actually really good at this. Thank you.”
For the first time that day, I felt a flicker of confidence about those dreaded speeches.
By the time we reached Rumors, the gods of parking took pity on me. Someone pulled out just as I drove up, and I slid the truck into the tight space like a pro. Sebastian gave a low whistle of appreciation.
“Perfect,” he said.
“Dad taught me,” I replied, smug.
We climbed out, the heavy summer heat pressing down like a wet blanket.
My palms were slick with sweat, and not just from the weather.
Sebastian looked maddeningly perfect in his crisp white shirt and casual slacks, like he’d strolled straight out of a GQ spread.
Meanwhile, I was still in cutoffs, a paint-splattered tee, and the faint smell of turpentine clinging to my skin.
As if he could read my panic, Sebastian reached for my hand, bringing my fingers to his lips. “Everything’s going to be great, okay?”
I stared at my chipped nails, imagining Janine’s immaculate manicure. I wanted to bolt.
Sebastian stopped at the entrance, his gaze locking onto mine. “Oh, and just so you know…” His smile softened into something sincere. “I’ve never formally introduced a woman to my sister before.”
He squeezed my hand. “So, no pressure.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re a sadist. You drop that on me now just to watch me sweat.”
He grinned, holding the door. “The fact that you’re nervous is a good sign.” He leaned down, lips brushing my ear. “It means you love me.” Then he nudged me forward.
Love? My brain screeched like brakes on subway tracks. We had never said the L-word. Not once. And he just tossed it out there in a casual comment? Maybe this was part of his twisted sense of humor. Or maybe… God forbid… it was a test.
I spotted Janine instantly. She was perched at the bar, looking as though she’d been airlifted out of a catalog shoot—white blouse tucked into a black pencil skirt, suit jacket folded neatly over her stool. Everything about her screamed precision. I gulped as Sebastian guided us over.
“Hey, sis.” He kissed her cheek with an easy smile. “Great to see you. Janine, this is Jesse.” He turned proudly to me. “Jess, meet my sister.”
“Nice to meet you, Janine.” I extended my hand, praying she wouldn’t notice my ragged nails.
Of course she did. Her eyes flicked down, sharp as a scanner, before she gripped my hand in an ironclad handshake.
“Nice to finally meet you too.” Her smile was tight, deliberate. “Officially.”
So much for pretending she didn’t remember our awkward first encounter. And then, just to crown my humiliation, I saw her gaze dip to read my T-shirt. Shit.
“Cute.” Her tone was laced with disapproval. She turned back to Sebastian. “Shall we get a table?”
We found a small corner table, dimly lit, which only made me feel more on display. The waiter came, Sebastian and I ordered beer, Janine requested a martini.
“So, Jesse,” she began once the drinks were ordered, her posture impeccable, legs crossing with the precision of a judge settling into chambers. “Sebastian tells me you’re an artist.”
The way she said it made it sound like she was already sharpening her gavel. My skin prickled. I shifted in my seat, feeling like one of Sebastian’s fish behind transparent glass.
Sebastian’s hand found my bare thigh under the table, warm and steady.
“Yeah.” I kept my voice light. “I own a hardware store, but I do art on the side. Hoping one day it’ll pay the bills.”
“A hardware store?” Janine’s perfectly arched brow lifted. “How fascinating.”
Her tone said she found it anything but.
I studied her, marveling at how different she was from Sebastian. He was all warmth and ease, while she was cool, sharp, every word precise. I wondered if she was always like this, or if I just had the dubious honor of her disapproval.
I decided right then that if Janine thought poorly of me, I’d win her over.
I put on my friendliest smile. “Sebastian mentioned you’re a criminal defense attorney. That must be such an interesting—and difficult—job.”
“She’s one of the best in the city,” Sebastian cut in, pride ringing in his voice even over the thrum of pop music.
Janine’s face softened instantly, a flush creeping across her cheeks.
For a moment, the stern attorney melted into something almost girlish.
Her lips curved into a smile—shallower dimples than Sebastian’s, but the family resemblance was unmistakable.
Her approval clearly meant the world to him, and vice versa.
She waved a hand, though her eyes were pleased. “He only says that because many of my cases are high profile and get media attention. But yes, I did get an acquittal today for my latest client.”
“That’s exciting,” I said. “Congratulations. What did he do?”
Janine’s gaze sharpened. “You mean, what was he accused of.”
I forced a smile. “Right. What was he accused of?”
“Rape.”
My stomach dropped, but thankfully the waiter arrived with our drinks, sparing me from an immediate response. I wrapped my fingers around the cool bottle, steadying my expression.
Sebastian lifted his beer. “To my big sis. Congrats on your win today.”
We clinked glasses. I echoed the toast, but my heart wasn’t in it. The word ‘rape’ was still ricocheting around in my head.
Trying for casual, I asked, “So, who accused him?”
“His assistant,” Janine replied. “He’s the CEO of a cosmetics company. She pressed charges three months ago, but there was no evidence strong enough to prove it.”
The words tumbled out of me before I could stop them. “But did he do it?”
Janine blinked, her poise cracking for the briefest moment.
Sebastian cleared his throat. “Jess, it’s not Janine’s job to investigate these things. She just—”
“My job isn’t to decide guilt or innocence,” Janine cut in coldly. “It’s to ensure my clients have their legal right to a defense. Even people like Ted Bundy had counsel. Accusation does not equal guilt.”
“That’s true,” I admitted, tracing the condensation on my bottle. “But… I don’t understand how someone could defend men like that. Especially a woman. I mean, if women don’t stand up for each other, who will? I couldn’t do what you do.”
The silence hit like a slap. Janine’s face paled, her mouth pressed tight, and I knew I’d said too much. Sebastian’s jaw flexed; he slowly removed his hand from my thigh.
Finally, he broke the tension with forced brightness. “How about we order food to go? I’m starving. And Jess, I know you’ve got painting to do.”