Irresistible You (2 page)

Deciding that this was the perfect opportunity she forged ahead with her plan. “I stopped by Crescent Island a few weeks ago and spent a lovely afternoon with Louise while your father and Colonel Wheeler planned their fishing trip,” Taylor began.

J.T. stopped what he was doing and looked up. “No.”

“No, what?” she asked

“Just that, no,” J.T. was emphatic. “I’m not going to be part of one of her matchmaking schemes. She can go find Kennedy. She’s in Africa somewhere hiding out.”

“What are you talking about, what matchmaking scheme?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, now that I’m here in the D.C. area I knew that it was only a matter of time before this came up.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Believe me Louise isn’t after you to get married.”

“I’m not so sure about that. I can name several people who said the same thing and look what happened to them. Tony and Madison, Raymond and Hope and now Dennis and Faith, the answer is no.”

“J.T. you’re beginning to sound paranoid. Louise and I went shopping, checked out some local museums and saw a few tourist attractions on the island. We talked and laughed and had a great time. I’m sure she has absolutely no intention of setting you up with anyone. Tony and Raymond are her grandsons. Of course she wanted to see them married and happy. And Dennis, well he was just a nice surprise for all of us.”

“As I said, I’m not so sure about that. But just in case, please tell her thank you but no thanks.”

“You can tell her yourself,” Taylor said. “She’s coming for an extended visit when Colonel Wheeler and your Dad go fishing next week. She’s staying at the house and we’ll keep each other company.”

J.T. opened his mouth to complain, but before he could object his phone rang. “This isn’t over,” he said firmly. “I have no intention of following in Dennis’ footsteps.” He looked at the caller ID. “I’ve been expecting this call, but it won’t take long.” He excused himself and took the call.

Taylor noted the grimace on her son’s face as he talked on the phone. He was obviously unsettled by her week-long houseguest just as she thought he would be. She smiled triumphantly. The seed of suspicion had been successfully planted. She picked up several technology magazines from the pile of mail on his desk and flipped through the pages. Then, on page seven of
Computer Tech
magazine, her son’s handsome face smiled back at her.

Boyishly charming, just like his father, he had classic features, a strong angular chin and determined jaw line, with soft brown eyes and smooth, rich, toasted-honey skin. He had a mischievous glint in his eye that he inherited from his father and a stubborn streak that he had definitely gotten from her.

She shook her head knowing the effect J.T. had on the opposite sex. She noted that several female employees had gone out of their way to get her son’s attention as they walked in from lunch. It was as if a silent alarm had been tripped announcing that he was in the building. She shook her head in sympathy.

It was the same earlier at lunch when two drinks and several business cards had arrived at their table. One woman had even gone so far as to offer to pay for their meal in exchange for his phone number. From the hostess and waitress to the other patrons seated in the restaurant, they all openly let they interest be known. Her son was apparently now on the capitol’s “new bachelor in town” menu.

After all, this was D.C., the capitol of the greatest nation on the planet, where women outnumbered men seven to one. This was also Chocolate City, where the ratio was almost eleven to one. So when an eligible bachelor arrived in the city, women knew about it. But when J.T. Evans, the newly named CEO of Evans Corporation, arrived in the city it made the front page of the
Washington Post
business section
and
the society pages.

Tall dark and handsome, J.T. was every woman’s dream and a mother’s worst nightmare. Add to that, he was wealthy with an impressive list of credentials and bright future in a family-owned computer software company that had bested most of Silicone Valley. Regrettably, he had a way with women that left them weak in the knees and making her, his mother, a nervous wreck.

Photographed in the society pages nearly every week, he was the bachelor-businessman most likely to leave a trail of broken hearts. Like clockwork, every three months there’d be a different woman on his arm who lasted until the relationship turned serious or until boredom set in. Then he’d move on to someone new.

Taylor loved her son, but she knew that he could be as detached and unfeeling as the software systems he designed and worked on. Charming and flirtatious, he left a trail of broken hearts from coast to coast.

Never getting emotionally involved, J.T. always made it clear from the beginning that the relationship was nothing more than temporary for him and that his attention was solely on business. The women he dated—the hopefuls—intent on changing his mind, accepted his conditions without reservation, but were still always surprised when the truth of his lack of commitment came to pass and he moved on.

Taylor had comforted many young women who had broken hearts after they faded from J.T.’s interest. They’d cried on her shoulder for days and sometimes weeks in hopes that she could persuade her son to get back together with them. Of course, it was always futile. The only consolation for the devastated exes was that he’d warned them up front. Nevertheless, the pain was real and the phone calls from her son’s ex-girlfriends still continued.

With J.T., business always came first. Ambitious to the point of being obsessive, for the past ten years he had focused all his attention on a single solitary goal—the growth, expansion and advancement of Evans Corporation. Much to Taylor’s chagrin, his single-minded purpose had left little room for a serious and lasting relationship.

Oh, he had what he referred to as
relationships
. But in reality they were little more than passing attractions, flings and dalliances. Almost thirty-three, he was no closer to settling down then he had been when he was in his early twenties.

Taylor waited patiently as J.T. continued his phone conversation as she flipped through the computer magazine. She prided herself on her patience, or being as patient as any mother could be under these circumstances. But enough was enough.

Seated in front of his desk, she frowned as she looked around the sparse office space. Lifeless and sterile the room was depressing, she thought. It looked more like an empty storage room than a Fortune 500 executive’s office. She shook her head, still unable to get used to the decorating disaster he had undertaken.

Standing, she moved to the large window across the room. She pulled the cord opening the vertical blinds that darkened the windows and let the bright, late-afternoon sunlight stream in.

The spring sunlight peacefully framed the backdrop of the Evans Corporation office complex. She smiled as she stood at J.T.’s office window and looked down on the surroundings and was greeted with a magnificent view. Two connected office buildings and two warehouses were spread out on thirty-five acres. She watched as a large truck drove through the front gate and wound its way towards the warehouses.

After years of planning and two years in the making, the complex was finally complete. Evans Corporation was finally under one roof with just a few satellite offices scattered around the country. Now it was time to turn her attention to something else, namely her son and the little plan she and a friend had hatched a few weeks ago.

From the beginning Taylor knew that she needed help, and who better to lend their know-how in the art of matchmaking then the expert herself—Louise Gates. Smiling confidently and pleased with herself, she remembered the exact moment she made the decision.

Three weeks ago, she’d been visiting Crescent Island, sitting out on the dock with Louise discussing her concerns about J.T.’s new position as CEO.

“He’s used his strenuous work schedule as an excuse for not finding that special someone for years. I’m afraid now that he’s CEO, he’ll never find happiness.”

“I’m sure he’ll be just fine.” Louise said reassuring her.”

“Tell me Louise, exactly how long have you been matchmaking?”

Louise smiled proudly. “I’ve been doing this for over fifty years, sixty if you include me and my Jonathan.” Louise smiled as she usually did at the thought of her late husband.

“And it always works?”

“More or less,” Louise said after a sip from her glass.

“What do you mean, more or less?” Taylor asked as she sipped her iced tea then turned to her.

Louise watched as several colorful fluttering butterflies danced over the surface of the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. “I mean that love is as unpredictable as it is precious. The truth is that the heart is often steeled and protected by pain or fear.”

Taylor thought about Louise’s words as she watched the butterflies dance until they disappeared into the foliage by the water’s edge. “J.T. doesn’t exactly fit into the broken-hearted-rebound or the commitment-phobic categories. Neither is he adamantly against love. He’s just stubbornly against the idea. He seems to think his busy schedule and lack of time prevents him from having a meaningful relationship. In his words, ‘I’m too busy with business affairs to have one of my own’.”

“Sounds like you have matchmaking on your mind.”

“I most certainly do,” Taylor said as she smiled and nodded. “His brain has overruled his heart his entire adult life and it’s about time I do something about it. I helped him crawl. I helped him walk. Now, I think it’s time I help him find that special someone to love.”

“Well, to start with J.T. is going to need a remarkable woman to break through that ironclad excuse of his.”

Taylor smiled warmly. “I agree and Juliet Bridges is a remarkable woman.”

“Juliet Bridges from the Capitol Ballet company.”

“Yes.”

Louise smiled. “She just might be perfect for him.” Louise nodded her agreement. “But remember the elements of matchmaking aren’t an exact science. Our job, your job, is to encourage the attraction that’s already there. Ultimately, a spark is essential. If the two of them don’t feel that spark, then there’s nothing anyone can do. But,” Louise smiled knowingly. “If by chance the spark occurs, then love will surely follow.”

“A spark,” Taylor repeated.

Louise nodded. “That’s all it takes.”

“How do I encourage sparks?”

“You don’t. That part is all up to them.”

“How do you know if the sparks occur?”

“That’s easy. We’ll see it in their eyes.”

“Louise, J.T. is analytical, single-minded, methodical and driven. He’s not easily fooled. And after Tony, Raymond and now Dennis, he’s going to be anticipating this. More likely than not, he’ll see right through it.”

“Of course he will. They all think they do. That’s why a distraction is imperative. He needs something else to focus on. As with Tony, he was distracted by suspicion and Raymond was distracted by his concern for my health.

Everything you’ve told me shows that he’s the perfect hero looking for a damsel to rescue. You’ll need to supply him with a damsel.”

“That would be Juliet right?”

“No, that would be you.”

“Me?” Taylor asked completely confused.

“Well, actually it will be both of us, at least for the moment.”

“But he’ll be skeptical as soon as he sees you.”

“Yes, he’ll surely suspect me of matchmaking, but not you. Matchmaking is like magic. It’s all smoke and mirrors. Misdirection is the key.” Louise arched her brow.

Taylor smiled and nodded in understanding, “misdirection, of course. He’d never suspect me.”

“Precisely.”

“Still, the only problem I foresee is J.T.’s complete lack of interest in anything having to do with the arts. His idea of a perfect evening is reprogramming beta-tested software.”