Don’t Love, Don’t Lose

“Could you filter personal communication from it? Once you’ve confirmed the recipient of the communication, we should be able to rule it out.”

Jasmine smiled at him approvingly.

“I can.”

“It’s going to be extra work.”

“Not at all, I already did it.”

The look on Anthony’s face made Jasmine giggle like a young girl.

“You look so funny.”

“Yes, I bet I do. Just for that, we’re not eating here. I’m taking you out to dinner.”

“You make that sound like a strange punishment of some sort.”

“It might very well be. We’re going to a pub that serves fish and chips.”

Jasmine giggled again.

“You know what? I’m up for fish and chips. You might be surprised.”

Jasmine was the one who was surprised, because Anthony was so at ease at the pub where he should’ve stuck out like an incredibly sore thumb. But he bought a round, and then another, and within half an hour, he could probably have run for mayor. The man did have a gift.

“Well, you’ve shown me up in my own hometown, on my own turf, so I feel like I’m owed some payment.”

“Fair enough. What would you like? Diamonds? Rubies? Silks and satins?”

Jasmine laughed and shook her head.

“None of that. I want you to tell me about your life. About how you lived, where you grew up. I want to know about your family. I want to know what they’re like. I want to know why you decided to build your fortune on real estate.”

She wanted to know everything about him. She wanted to understand him. Would he find that too intrusive?

For a moment, she thought he did. But then the frown cleared from his face and he smiled.

“I suppose that’s fair enough. All right. I grew up in Baltimore.”

Jasmine frowned.

“What? Sorry, it must be louder than I thought. I heard Baltimore.”

“That’s what I said.”

He slid into it, the accent, the way of talking, and drawled, “Baltimore, and nowhere else, honey.”

Jasmine was stunned into silence.

“Really? But then… But then why do you need to go to so much trouble to get local people, and…”

And why hadn’t she gotten even a whiff of that when she’d dug into him? She hadn’t dug as deep as she might have. She hadn’t gone as far back as a birth certificate. It hadn’t occurred to her.

“I left when I finished school and got a scholarship to college. I changed my name, too.”

“Your name isn’t Anthony Malone?”

“It is now. It’s the one I chose for myself. I left my past behind.”

“But you’re back here now.”

“I chose that, too. I’m not here as the boy I used to be. I’m here as the man I made myself into. It’s not like I have family to recognize me, anyway.”

“You don’t have family?”

“None worth remembering. My father drank himself into an early grave, and my mother… Well, she was never quite… She never got the help she needed. Mental illnesses weren’t understood well even twenty-five years ago. Things have changed a lot in the last few years, and long may it last.”

“She’s not here anymore?”

“I hope she’s happier now. I used to believe, once upon a time, that people died and became angels. My mother told me that. When she was well, she was wonderful. She was full of light. It was as if the darkness couldn’t bear it and tried to put it out. Eventually, it succeeded.”

Jasmine felt like her heart would break for him, but she knew she shouldn’t offer pity. He’d knock it aside.

Besides, he didn’t need it. He had become somebody he could be proud of being. Despite everything, he was a good man, and one who didn’t stand on ceremony most of the time. He was competitive, but he also had compassion.

She trusted him, realized Jasmine with more than a little shock. She really trusted him. She never trusted people.

She needed to pull back. She needed to find that neutral ground again, the place from where she could analyze and turn things around before it got too late.

But was it already too late? It was agonizing to realize that she didn’t know. She wasn’t sure.

“Surprised?”

“I didn’t expect it. Yes, I’m surprised.”

“I ran a long way to get away from my past.”

“And yet you’re back here.”

When had they moved so close to each other? She should’ve sat across from him, but there had been so many people, it had been easier to slide onto the bench beside him. At least, that’s what she told herself.

“I wonder what it was that brought me back. I could’ve expanded somewhere else. I could’ve rested on my laurels and my riches.”

“You couldn’t. I don’t think you’re very good at resting.”

He chuckled a little, and leaned closer to her. She could see the dark flecks in his blue eyes now.

“I guess I’m not. Maybe I came back because I was meant to meet you.”

“I don’t believe in such things.”

But it wasn’t the forceful, positive declaration she’d meant it to be. It was nearly a whimper, a sigh.

“I didn’t used to, either. And yet, here we are, Jasmine. The question is where do we go from here?”

Jasmine felt like she couldn’t breathe. There was no air to breathe.

He was so close. Too close? Not close enough?

“Come home with me.”

She should say no. She knew that. But she didn’t. All she did was nod, and both knew what that meant.