Don’t Love, Don’t Lose

She wanted to help Anthony. She really wanted to help him. That worried her. She was getting too close to him.

She couldn’t afford to do that. Jasmine had spent years of her life trying not to get close to people. She knew that many people would consider that a sad way to live, but it wasn’t to her. She’d had enough pain in her life without going out of her way to invite more. Getting close to people was inviting pain. They would either disappoint you or they would leave.

Or worse, they would die.

Anthony would leave. She knew that. It was in his plans. She didn’t figure in his plans after he got what he wanted.

So she would give him what he wanted as soon as she could, insist on that payment because goodness knew she was putting in the hours, and then she would go on with her life.

She would have no regrets.

Or at least, that’s what she told herself.

“So, what’s up with you and Jasmine?”

Anthony frowned at his best friend, the man he trusted above all else, and the man he wanted to strangle more often than he had ever wanted to strangle anybody, too.

A brother. Roger was his brother, in all but blood.

“Nothing’s up with us. She’s working for me until I sort this out. It happened again today. It was worse this time. Instead of the permit I need, this time, there was a forgery. I know I got that permit done. I know because I’ve been micromanaging too much ever since things started going wrong. But the original was swapped out for a forgery. It’s not even a good one.”

Roger whistled and reached for it. Anthony handed him the paper from the file he had open in front of him.

He’d been sitting in front of it for a while now.

“This is not a very good forgery. It’s good enough that most people would pass it at first glance because they don’t expect to see a forgery, but it’s not really good.”

Anthony nodded.

“They were hoping I wouldn’t be looking for it.”

“Well, they don’t know you very well if they thought you wouldn’t. Still, I see why you’re concerned.”

Anthony nodded again.

“Are you sure Jasmine can handle it?”

Anthony hesitated, wondering how much he could tell Roger. He was Roger, and still…

He compromised.

“She has personal interests in this.”

“Her Aunt Della.”

“Partly.”

“Henrietta?”

That was sharp and quick. Anthony looked at his friend in surprise.

“Really? Rita?”

Roger didn’t have the good grace to look ashamed. He just grinned.

“She’s spectacular, don’t you think? I found a few photos when I was looking into Jasmine. Which you asked me to do.”

“Jasmine would gouge your eyes out if you hurt her sister,” said Anthony with some satisfaction. In his opinion, Roger always had a little too much luck with women. When things looked like they were getting too serious, he’d wiggle his way out, but without any hurt feelings anywhere.

It was one of the greatest gifts a man could ever have. Roger was a 38-year-old playboy who did not have a single disgruntled ex. It was a damn miracle.

Anthony would laugh if he finally got into trouble over a woman. Not that he wanted Rita to be unhappy, of course. He had a feeling he would pay for it if that happened, too. Trying to explain that Roger’s actions did not reflect on him wouldn’t help.

“I wouldn’t hurt her. We’d have fun, the two of us. She looked like the kind of woman who knows how to have fun. I wouldn’t mind if she offered to show me around town. She looks like she’d know the fun places to go.”

“I bet she would, but if you do that, either Della or Jasmine would mop up the floor with you, so I suggest you keep it in your pants, Roger.”

“Sure, sure. We’ll see. But now on to more immediate matters. Do you need me to dig into anybody?”

Anthony shook his head.

“Not yet. I should get something from Jasmine soon. She’s sending me anything that’s flagged, but… I need to talk to her.”

“I bet you do. You look like a lovelorn puppy. I didn’t think I’d ever see you this way.”

Anthony frowned.

“I do not.”

“You do. Mina wouldn’t even recognize you now. She did everything she could to get that look on your face when you looked at her. I wonder what Mina would make of Jasmine…”

Anthony’s frown deepened. He hadn’t really thought of that.

“Jasmine is nothing like her.”

“She’s not. Is that what appeals to you?”

“No, I…”

What did appeal to him?

“It’s almost painful, watching you try to figure out logic in matters of the heart. Let it go, Tony. I don’t like pain. Now, give me something to do. This is supposed to be my vacation. So far, we’ve had no excitement at all. I need something rousing. Let’s go out and paint the town red.”

“I think somebody’s beaten us to that already.”

Roger guffawed.

“Call your girl, I’ll get her to call Rita, and all four of us can go out and have fun. Maybe just pretend that none of this is happening for a whole day. Come on, Tony. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

“It does not.”

“I worry about you sometimes, Tony. You know what they say about all work and no play.”

“It makes Tony a rich man.”

Roger laughed again, and shrugged.

“Well, if I can’t help you here, and you won’t be fun, maybe I’ll go and see if I can manage to charm some company.”

Anthony grinned.

“I don’t think you’d have any trouble with that. I don’t remember you ever having trouble with that. But not Henrietta, Roger.”

Roger just grinned and waved, blowing Anthony a cheeky little kiss, before leaving.

Anthony settled back down with the folder, and soon he was double checking, and triple checking, every document he could find.

He would not let himself be derailed. But he needed to delegate, and for that, he needed to know whom to trust. He needed Jasmine to hurry up.

He looked at the phone for a long moment before giving it up impatiently.

“Not giving up without a fight, Jasmine. You can’t have everything your way.”

Muttering many things along those lines, he followed Roger out of the building. But he knew exactly what company he wanted, and where he could find it.

He headed to Jasmine’s.

“Was I expecting you?”

Jasmine didn’t open the door completely. The chain was still in place.

“I don’t know. Maybe you should be. Let me in, Jasmine.”

“What’s that you’ve got?”

“A bottle of wine. I assume you have something of Della’s to defrost.”

Jasmine frowned, but she couldn’t leave him standing out there. Against her better judgment, she let him in.

“You’ve been working.”

“Most of us have to,” pointed out Jasmine.

“Have you made progress?”

Jasmine sighed a little inwardly. So this was a work visit. And the wine was probably a peace offering. Well, that was what she’d wanted, wasn’t it? It wasn’t like she wanted to throw herself at him and offer herself up for more sizzling kisses. It wasn’t like that at all.

She wasn’t disappointed at all.

Not even a little bit.

“I have. Quite a bit.”

“I wanted to ask you something. I realize that it’s extra work for you, but…”

“Yes?”