but she was saved from commenting on the subject by the unexpected appearance of her
father.
“There you are.” Harlan Barrett grumbled, a scowl showing as he stopped in front of
them. “I wanted you to meet...”
“I want you to meet,” Brenda interrupted, knowing full well that it had been her mother,
who’d sent her father out to the porch, “Jax...”
“McCarty,” He finished for her and put out a hand. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Barrett.
I’m sure we will enjoy working together.”
In bemusement, his fingers already firmly locked in Jax’s Harlan Barrett turned baffled
brown eyes towards Brenda.
“I’ve just hired him,” she explained.
“You...hired him? To do what?” Harlan demanded, ready and able to fight against a
gigolo trying to take advantage of his daughter or his company, and not necessarily in
that order.
“To help me.”
“And how is he going to help you?”
“He’s going to help me to impress you.” It was a first time in a long time that she could
ever remember her father being at a loss for words. He always had an answer for
everything. Until now. Trying not to smile, she looked at Jax and found him grinning.
“We are going to make a formidable team,” he told her as he led her past the still
speechless Harlan and into the house. Brenda wondered how good...and if she only
wanted their partnership to remain all business and no pleasure.
The next morning, after completing his early morning run Jax took a quick shower and
settled himself down on the couch. He picked up the phone and dialed a number. On the
other end, the phone was picked up, followed by a curse and finally a greeting.
Jax smiled. “Bad night?”
“Jax, is that you?”
“None other,” he responded, sitting back on the couch.
“It’s about bloody time you called me. I haven’t heard from you in a week. Where have
you been? Where are you now? Are you back in town?”
Jax grinned at his brother, Jerry’s questions. He had left town a week ago on his
motorcycle, just going where the road took him. “I’m back in town and I’m at home. I
just needed some time away from business. I was getting a little stressed out with all
those deals we’ve been doing lately.”
Jerry laughed. “Yeah, right. Anyway things have been slow while you’ve been gone.
I’ve just been working on that deal we put in motion before you left. Not much to report
on it though.”
“Well, keep me apprised on it. Since things are moving a little slow. I think I might take
some more time off. Can you handle things on your own?”
“Can I handle things on my own? Jax, Jax, Jax, you have nothing to worry about. I’ll
take care of everything. You must be having some picnic then, if your taking more time
off.”
“Picnic’s aren’t any fun by yourself.” Jax immediately had to hold the phone away from
his ear as Jerry’s hoot of laughter echoed over the line.
“A woman! You’ve meet a woman!” Jerry’s voice lowered. “What’s she like?”
“Very interesting.”
“That’s the best kind. Do I happen to know this very interesting woman that has
captured you attention?”
“I don’t think so. Not yet, anyway.”
“Wow, this sounds serious little brother.”
“Well, just don’t be booking the church yet, okay?”
Jerry chuckled. “I’m just looking out for your best interests.”
“Yeah right. Her name’s Brenda Barrett.”
“Brenda Barrett? As in Harlan Barrett?”
Jax recognized his disbelief. He felt it himself, along with the irony. “It’s a small world
after all.”
“You know...” Jerry warned.
“I know,” Jax interrupted very aware of what his brother what going to say. “Just
remember to keep me updated on the deal.”
“Okay. How do I reach you?”
“Just leave a message on the answering machine. Otherwise, I’ll call in when I can.”
“Fine, and little brother?”
“Yes.”
“Have fun.”
Jax didn’t bother to answer and hung up the phone with his brother’s laugh echoing
through the lines. He walked into the bathroom and caught his reflection in the mirror.
He frowned. He had told Brenda and Harlan that his name was Jax McCarty, when in
fact that was a lie.
His real name was Jasper Maximilion Jacks. He hated his first name so everyone called
him Jax. He ran J and J Jacks Enterprises, Inc. with his brother Jerry. They specialized
in corporate raiding and takeovers. They bought companies, dismantled them, and then
sold them for profit. Over the past month they had been looking at acquiring Barrett.
He sighed. Deceiving Brenda, wasn’t something he was looking forward to doing, but
staying close to her was.
He turned from the mirror and stepped out of his running clothes and into the shower.
Actually, he didn’t think she really needed him. Not from listening to her talk. She was
intelligent, knew what she wanted and could go after it. When he suspected she needed
some support. Something she apparently wasn’t getting from her family who, without
her coming right out and saying so, appeared to be more interested in marrying her off
into the proper family and getting her out of the family business than allowing her to stay
in it and be allowed to express her opinions and ideas.
Jax turned on the water full blast and sighed as the bathroom started to steam. He didn’t
know if Brenda could make that break from the business. He didn’t know how strong she
was or how badly she wanted to prove herself. She might fold at the first sight of
opposition from her father, or anyone else in the company.
He reached for the soap. Maybe he only wanted to believe she wouldn’t, but she was
already trying to forge her own path by not only staying in the business but by rebelling
against the family “friend” when she jumped out of the car. A smile twisted his lips.
Then she’d not only invited a complete stranger to her home but brought him into it when
his attire had been nothing but correct. Jax’s mouth twisted. She’d surprised him by
taking him at face value the night before. He’d half expected her to find some polite way
to send him away and out of her life. But his surprise had been nothing compared to her
father’s when she had hired someone without consoling him first. Jax’s grin broadened.
He didn’t imagine Harlan Barrett had liked that very much.
Jax stuck his head under the water. Brenda’s feeler’s were out. Her frustration was
growing. She’d said he’d inspired her. In reality all he’d done was give her a kick in the
pants...made her do what she wanted instead of doing what was expected of her, doing
the traditional and exercising that decorum he suspected she secretly loathed.
His smile abruptly changed into a frown. Yet if Brenda was more than she appeared, he
wasn’t at all what or who she thought he was either. Whether that was disappointing or
not, in the end, would be up to him, but before he stepped into the lion’s den and
assumed his role, he had to do some research. About her and about Harlan Barrett and
company. It was something he expected to do anyway. He would just have to do it
sooner rather than later like he planned.
