His Best Friend. Patricia Kay

while after that, they talked about John’s new job in Houston, but Philip seemed antsy, and John knew his cousin wanted to go back inside and find Claudia. John didn’t blame him. If she was John’s date, he wouldn’t leave her alone for a minute.

      For the next hour or so, John stayed away from Philip and Claudia. He busied himself talking to the other people. But he kept watching for a chance to talk to Claudia alone. About nine-thirty, he spotted her sitting by herself on the window seat in the dining room. Philip was nowhere in sight. John quickly walked over.

      “Mind if I join you?”

      She smiled. “No.” She scooted over.

      He sat down beside her. “It’s good to see you again.”

      “You, too.”

      She had a disconcerting way of looking directly into his eyes. “Small world, huh?”

      “Yes, it is.”

      For a brief moment, John felt awkward. But he pressed on. “So. Were you living here in Houston that day we met?”

      She shook her head. “Uh-uh. I moved here the first of September…when I started my job at the college.”

      Boy, he liked her voice. It was low and musical. Sexy. Oh, come on! Who do you think you’re kidding? You like everything about her! “Where’d you move from?”

      “A little town south of Austin.”

      “Were you a teacher there?”

      “No. This is my first teaching job.”

      “Do you like it?”

      “So far I love it.”

      “I moved to Houston to take a new job, too.”

      “Philip said you’re a filmmaker.”

      “Yeah.”

      “What kind of films?”

      “All kinds. Documentaries. Advertising films. Training films. You name it, we do it.”

      “Are you a cameraman? Is that the right term?”

      He grinned. “No. And no. Producing and directing is my area of expertise. And the correct terminology is camera operator or videographer. But we’re loose. We answer to just about anything.”

      For a moment she fell silent, and as casually as he could manage, he said, “You know, after I met you that day? I kind of hoped I’d hear from you again.”

      “Oh, really?”

      Something about the way she’d responded struck him as odd. “Yeah. I was disappointed when I didn’t. In fact, I was kind of kicking myself for not finding out your name so I could call you.”

      She seemed to consider that for a moment. Then, blue eyes meeting his, she said, “I did try to call you.”

      “You did?”

      “Yes.”

      “When?”

      “Last weekend, actually. I was in Austin for the day and thought I’d invite you to a party some friends were giving.”

      “But…did you call my cell phone number?”

      She shrugged. “I called whatever number was on that card you gave me.”

      “That’s my cell phone.” He couldn’t believe he’d missed her call. “I don’t remember getting a missed message signal.”

      “That’s because someone answered the phone.”

      “Somebody else answered my cell phone?” Now John was thoroughly confused. How was that possible? His cell phone never left his possession. “Maybe you misdialed.”

      “I didn’t misdial.”

      “I don’t understand.”

      “There’s something I don’t understand, either. Why did you tell me your name was Jason Webb?”

      “Jason Webb?” Something was totally screwy here. “Jason is a friend of mine. Why would you think I was Jason?”

      “That’s what it said on the card you gave me.”

      John stared at her. Then he swore. “I’m an idiot!” He realized he must have mistakenly pulled out the card Jason had given him earlier that day instead of his own. “I gave you the wrong card. Jason was one of the guys I was having lunch with that day, and he had some new business cards he passed out. I must have stuck his in the pocket where I keep some of mine.”

      “Ah,” she said. “That explains it.”

      “So you talked to Jason?”

      She smiled. “Yes.”

      “What did he say?”

      “Well, he obviously had no idea who I was, and I was too embarrassed to try to explain. See, the thing is, I thought it was you I was talking to…and that you didn’t remember me.”

      John wanted to say there was no way he could have ever forgotten her, but he stopped himself just in time. No matter how much he liked this girl, she was Philip’s date. John had no right to undercut him. Nor did he want to.

      But he couldn’t help wondering what might have happened if he’d given her the right card. Would she still have come here with Philip? Or would she be John’s date tonight?

      Yet what difference did it make now? Even if she encouraged him, there was nothing he could do to change things. She was here with Philip, and he knew Philip was already halfway in love with her. Unless his cousin decided he was no longer interested in her, John could do nothing but sit on the sidelines.

      And keep kicking himself.

      “Are you having a good time?”

      Claudia smiled at Jennifer. “Yes, I am. You have nice friends.”

      “Thank you.”

      “And the food is great. Did you make it all yourself?”

      “Uh-huh. I love to cook and bake. If I wasn’t in the communications field, I would’ve gone to culinary school.” She made a face. “Some days I really wish I had.”

      “I was like that all the years I worked in sales. Last year I finally decided I had to make some changes in my life or go nuts. So I picked up the last few graduate hours I needed and started applying for jobs, and now…here I am.”

      Jennifer studied her gravely. “I have a feeling you’re braver than I am.”

      “Oh, I doubt that. You probably just haven’t reached the point where you’re ready to make a change. Maybe you never will. I mean, I’m sure people in all professions get frustrated at times.”

      Jennifer nodded. “Yes, you’re probably right. I know my dad complains about his work a lot, and so has John. In fact, he just changed companies.”

      “He did mention that.”

      “Yeah, the company he worked for in Austin wasn’t getting the kinds of projects he hoped to work on. So he started looking around a month or so ago and ended up landing a job with a really successful film company here. He’s thrilled.” She smiled. “So am I. I missed him when he lived in Austin. Now all my family is right here in Houston, and that’s the way I like it.”

      “Philip was telling me about your family on the way over. How you and he are double cousins.”

      “Yes, it’s kind of neat. Our parents are really close. Thank goodness. It would be awful if they didn’t get along. I feel so sorry for people whose families are constantly fighting.”

      “Me, too,” Claudia said fervently.

      “Philip told me you have a couple of sisters and a brother?”

      “Yes.”