Chapter 3
Brian not only walked her to her car that night, but he came by the store a few days later. He said he needed a gift for his niece. Jo thought he was
just saying that but he actually did as he produced a picture of his brother�s little girl. She helped him pick out an outfit and then he left. She barely
knew him, but somehow he would work his way into her thoughts during the day. And then there were his eyes and his smile. The combination just
made her grin. She wondered if he had a wife and family. If he did wouldn�t they have been with him that night at the tree lighting? Jo shrugged off
the thought. His private life was no concern of hers. Work kept her busy the rest of the week and by Sunday she was ready for a welcome day off.
She had only seen Sam once since their argument on the phone and he acted like nothing had happened. They went to dinner a few days after her
encounter with Brian at the tree lighting. Their conversation centered on his work and how the holiday season always interrupted his schedule. Jo
listened with only half an ear. She was off daydreaming when Sam grabbed her hand.
"Where are you? Did you hear anything I said? You have been acting very strange lately Jo." His voice had an edge and Jo realized she hadn�t
heard a word he had said.
"Sorry. I guess it�s Christmas. For some reason this year I�m just caught up in it all." She took a sip of her wine. "Let�s drive through the
neighborhoods when we�re done and look at all the houses."
"I can�t." He checked his watch. "I have to get back to the office. There is an overseas call coming in." Jo pouted as she swirled the wine left in her
glass.
"What time is the call? Can�t we go for a little while?" She pleaded with him.
"It�s due around ten, but I�ve got some paperwork to do before hand." Jo rolled her eyes and he saw her reaction. "Look, this is important. The
lights will be there. Besides most of the houses are so tacky anyway." He wiped his mouth and motioned to the waiter to bring the check.
She felt the anger rise inside her. There was that snobbish tone in his voice again. "I know they will, but you really don�t want to go anyway. I just
thought it would be fun and then we could go back to my place, maybe you could spend the night." She gave him a sultry look. "We haven�t made
love in a while." She took his hand and rubbed her thumb along the back. Sam pulled away and Jo realized it wouldn�t happen tonight either.
"Not here. You know how I feel about public displays." The waiter brought the check and Sam put some bills in the folder and stood up. "Come on,
let�s go." Jo took her coat and slowly followed him out. When they reached the curb he went to hail a cab for her.
"Don�t bother. I�ll walk." She turned to leave but stopped and looked back at Sam. "Sam, what happened to the young man I fell in love with all
those years ago?" He looked at her, with complete puzzlement.
"What are you talking about?"
"What happened to you? We used to do so much together, simple things. Now, you�re no fun any more. It�s either work or your business associates.
We never see your old college friends like we used to either." Jo didn�t think he was paying attention as he checked messages on his cell phone. He
was always preoccupied. She didn�t matter to him.
"It�s called growing up Jo. And maybe you should consider it too." He punched in some buttons and then put the phone back in his pocket. "Take
your job for instance. It�s a dead end. You�re too smart to be working in Jordan�s. I could get you into a management training program at the
company just like that," he snapped his fingers. "You could get a bigger place, a better car and maybe even save for that house you always talk
about." She shook her head at him. It was always about making money. What about living?
"I�m happy in my job and I love my apartment. I�m doing very well thank you and if it doesn�t measure up to your standards, I�m sorry. But this is
who I am and I think that it�s time we both take a look at this relationship because obviously we are walking down two different paths." She felt tears
begin to sting her eyes. "I have to go." She turned and started down the street.
"Jo?" He called after her. "Don�t forget we have dinner at my parents on Sunday." She raised her hand and kept walking. She was a fixture just
part of the little world that spun around him every day. And as long as she continued to be in her appointed place every day, his life was going
according to his plan. Well, it was time to throw his world off its axis. She couldn�t live like this any more. She had spent six years waiting, hoping.
But it didn�t matter now.
~*~*~*~*~
She picked up her ice skates and started towards the door when the phone rang again. She waited while the message played. "Jo, if you are there
pick up this phone now!" There was a pause. "Jo, where the hell are you? You knew we were expected at my parents today. I gave them all kinds of
excuses. Call me!" The message stopped and Jo just opened the door and went to her car.
She was a mess inside. As much as she wanted to make a change, the unknown was scary. Sam had become so comfortable. And she always thought
that someday, they would� But it was never going to happen. And for someone who had an insatiable sexual appetite, they hadn�t had sex in quite a
while. Jo had in inkling that his needs were meeting met with someone else. Yet, she didn�t feel jealous. It was almost a relief. She just wondered that
if she were to initiate their breakup, would Sam fight her on it. She had become nothing more than a trophy on his arm lately. He just wasn�t the same
man she fell in love with and she was beginning to think it was time to end it.
She pulled up at the lake and retrieved her skates and walked down to the benches along the shoreline. It was still cold but the sun was shining and it
helped to ward off the icy air. She found an empty spot on one of the benches and put on her skates. She put Sam and her decision out of her mind.
She was going to enjoy this afternoon. Jo laced up her skates and then sat for a minute and watched as one young couple skated together around the
perimeter of the small lake. A twinge of jealousy went through her as the young man�s arm rested on the girl�s waist and he held her close. Even if
Sam were to skate with her, he would never hold her like that. She made her way to the edge of the frozen lake and pushed off.
Jo was lost in the rhythm of moving around the lake. She kept up with the skaters but her mind was a thousand miles away, so when the two boys
slammed into her and sent her flying on her butt, she was totally unaware. She sat there for a couple of minutes as the ached in her posterior slowly
subsided when a hand reached out to help her up.
"Well, it looks like I�m three for three." Brian grinned as he took her hand and helped Jo to her feet.
"I don�t believe this." Jo brushed the ice off her pants and coat. "Are you following me?" Brian guided her over to the edge of the lake.
"As a matter of fact, I�m having your house bugged so I know your every move." He smirked and then laughed out loud. Jo laughed too and she
almost lost her balance but Brian took hold of her. The gesture brought them within inches of each other. Brian searched her face and could feel her
breath. Before either of them could act on the moment, they were both brought back to reality when a young child bumped into them. "Come on, let�s
go sit for a spell." Brian took her hand and they found an empty bench.
"So what are you doing here?" Jo loosened the laces on her skates and then sat back and watched the other skaters move around the lake.
"I used to come here as a kid all the time. My brother and I would meet my cousin Kevin and spend the afternoon here. I loved it. So today I
decided to relive some of my childhood memories." As he spoke Jo noticed his face take on this childlike gleam and she found herself grinning at
him.
"What�s so funny?"
"Nothing. It just that when you talk about your childhood, or being back home, your whole face just seems to light up. And when it does, I�m just
compelled to smile too."
"Is that so. You find it funny that a washed up pop star, now struggling songwriter/producer finds coming home for Christmas to be cute or
something. You cut me to the quick." He touched his heart and closed his eyes and Jo laughed at him.
"No. That�s not what I mean. You just seem genuinely happy to be home and enjoying the simple pleasures of a hometown Christmas. That�s all. I�m
sorry if I offended you." Her face became serious and she wouldn�t look at him.
"Hey. I�m kidding you know." She turned to look at him and there was that glint in his eyes again and Jo felt this strange churning inside. "Are you
hungry?" Jo looked at him strangely. "I know, random topic change. But I�m starved."
"I could eat."
"Good. Let�s go then. I know a great�"
"Please don�t say Chinese." Jo rolled her eyes.
"Actually, I was going to say, I know this great Italian restaurant."
"Okay. That sounds great." They both found their shoes and after locking up Jo�s car, they left the lake.
~*~*~*~*~
Jo didn�t hesitate. She just went never giving Sam a thought as she got in Brian�s jeep. It was a small, quiet little restaurant near the university. The
owner knew Brian and they were given the utmost treatment. During the course of their meal Jo found out that he was single, and had been for a
while. At first she hedged about her own personal life but then admitted that there was someone but it was basically over. She felt she wasn�t lying,
because Jo knew that Sam had no intentions of making their relationship permanent and she had finally decided that it was time to call it quits
anyway.
"So what is your aversion to Chinese food?" Brian asked as they shared a piece of cheesecake with their cappuccino.
"Nothing. I like Chinese food." Jo answered without missing a beat as she put the forkful of dessert in her mouth. "It�s just that Sam�"
"The almost ex-boyfriend," Brian answered.
Jo nodded. "Yes." She sighed. "It�s always Chinese with him. He never deviates." There was one bite of cake left and Brian saw her eyeing it.
"Go ahead finish it." She grinned and scooped up the last bit and savored it.
"And I gather Sam isn�t too interested in ice skating either huh?"
Jo looked up at Brian. His face was so serious. She sat back in the booth and fingered her coffee cup. "We just seem to want different things lately.
He doesn�t appreciate the simple things. There was a time I thought he and I would�" Jo stopped. "I�m sorry. You don�t need to hear about the
breakdown of a relationship." Brian leaned across the table and took her hand.
"It�s okay. I know exactly what you are feeling. I�ve been in your shoes many times myself." Jo looked at their hands. She liked the feel of his
warmer one on her cooler fingers. She lifted her gaze and caught that same look in his eyes he had earlier on the lake.
"So what do you advise?" She looked straight at him still conscious of his hand on hers.
"Follow your heart, and find someone who will love you for the person you are and not for what they want you to be."
"Starting over," she let out a breath. "It�s a bit scary."
"It doesn�t have to be." Brian called for the check. "Come on, let�s take a walk." Jo nodded. Brian paid the check and they left. They strolled
through the university campus and at one point Brian took Jo�s hand. She stopped and turned to look at him. He pulled her close and touched her
cheek. She closed her eyes as his fingers glided across her skin. She felt a strange quickening in her stomach. There was a look of expectation in his
eyes. She stepped back.
"I need to get back." She saw disappointment in his eyes but he nodded. They drove back to where her car was parked neither one speaking during
the short ride. Brian opened the door for her and she started towards her car when he called out.
"Jo?" She turned around. "Wait." He caught up to her. "I want to see you again."
"I�" She knew she shouldn�t. She needed to break things off with Sam first, but something was pulling her and she liked the feeling. It was
something that had been missing for a long time. "I�d like that."
"The Symphony Christmas concert is Friday. Come with me." Brian said quickly. He could feel the same pull within him and he knew if he didn�t act
on it, he may miss his chance.
She smiled. "It was on my list of things to do. I would love to go with you." They both stood quietly neither one knowing what to do next. "I�ll see
you Friday then."
"Yes. Maybe we could go to dinner first?"
"I can�t I�m working till seven. I�ll have to meet you at the auditorium, say seven thirty."
He looked disappointed that they would arrive separately. "Okay."
"Goodnight and thank you for dinner." Jo got in the car and Brian closed the door and watched as she drove away. He had to wait five days.
Chapter 4
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