Ready for Love Ready for Romance, Ready for Marriage

Jessica Kellerman's moment of reckoning had arrived. For the first time in ten years she was about to face the Dryden brothers. Evan didn't concern her. She suspected he wouldn't even remember what a nuisance she'd made of herself. Then again, he just might. But Damian was the brother who worried her most. He was the one who'd caught her red-handed--or at least with red lipstick in her hand. He was the one who'd mocked her and suggested her devotion to his brother was a passing fancy. Now she was forced to face him and admit he'd been right. She sincerely hoped Damian would have the good grace not to dredge up the past. Swallowing her dread, Jessica walked into the high-rise office building in the most prestigious part of downtown Boston. The building was new, with a glistening black-mirrored exterior that towered thirty stories above the ground. The Dryden law firm was one of the most distinguished in town, and in Boston that was saying something. Jessica's footsteps made tapping sounds against the marble f loor in the lobby. Although she'd been in this part of the city often--the university wasn't far from the business section--this was the first time she'd been inside the impressive building. She was nervous, and for good reason. The last day she'd spent any time with either of the Dryden brothers she'd been caught kissing rearview mirrors. Looking back, she knew she'd been a constant source of amusement to the brothers and their parents, as well as her own. Young love, however, refused to be denied. Risking her family's exasperation, Jessica had diligently sought Evan's heart all through high school. It wasn't until Benny Wilcox asked her to the graduation dance that she'd realized there were other fish in the sea. Sweet, attentive, good-looking ones, too. Yes, Evan had been the man of her dreams, the one who'd awakened her to womanhood. She held her love for him in a special place in her heart, but was more than willing to forget the way she'd embarrassed herself over him, praying he did, too. Although Jessica had let her infatuation with Evan die gracefully, neither set of parents had. Particularly Lois and Walter Dryden. They thought Jessica's feelings about Evan were "cute," and they still mentioned it every now and then, renewing her embarrassment. When Walter Dryden heard that Jessica had recently graduated from business college with a certificate as a legal assistant, he'd insisted she apply with the family firm. In the beginning Jessica had balked, but jobs were few and far between just then, and after a fruitless search on her own, she'd decided to swallow her pride and face the two brothers. She was warmly greeted by the receptionist, who gave her a wide smile. Jessica smiled back, hoping she looked composed and mature. "I have an appointment with Damian Dryden," she said. The woman, who appeared to be in her early thirties, with large blue eyes and a smooth complexion, glanced at the appointment book. "Ms. Kellerman?" "That's right." "Please have a seat and I'll let Mr. Dryden know you're here." "Thank you." Jessica sat in one of the richly upholstered chairs and reached for aPeoplemagazine. She'd dressed carefully for this interview, choosing a soft dove-gray suit with a tailored jacket. The buttons were made from mother-of-pearl with f lashes of deep blue and white. She wore high heels, hoping to seem not only professional, but sophisticated. Her glossy brown hair was sophisticated, too, cut in a f lattering pageboy. She'd grown up, and it was important Damian know that. Jessica hadn't even scanned the magazine's contents page when the elder Dryden brother appeared. She'd seen Damian often from a distance, but this was the first time they'd actually spoken in years. She'd forgotten how tall he was, with broad shoulders that tapered to slim hips. She remembered how much he enjoyed football as a teenager, and how expert he was at tackling the oppMacomber, Debbie is the author of 'Ready for Love Ready for Romance, Ready for Marriage', published 2006 under ISBN 9780778323693 and ISBN 0778323692.