Page 11 of A Girl Like Janet

observer that her brother was different, and often the response was less than kind.

“Joel, you must apologize to Mr. Edwards for playing with the intercom,” she said sternly.

Joel hung his head. It was rare that Janet used that tone of voice with him and she moved behind him, placing a gentle hand

on his shoulder. She hoped the contact would lessen the sharpness in her voice.

“I’m sorry.” He slurred the words, as he often did when chastised.

“This is Joel?” Surprise flickered briefly over the handsome features.

Janet tensed. Had the look on Reese’s face been revulsion?

“Joel’s your Thursday night date?”

Janet nodded. “Joel, this is my boss, Mr. Edwards.”

Reese stepped forward and held out his hand to the youth. “I’m pleased to meet you.”

Joel looked up, his boyish face alight with a wide grin as he accepted the hand and shook it vigorously. “Janny works for

you?”

“Yes, Janny does.” Reese’s eyes met Janet’s, whose were wary and uncertain.

“We’re going to a movie,” Joel explained enthusiastically. “We go to lots of movies. We were supposed to go to the zoo last

week but Janny had to work.” His face saddened. “But she took me Saturday.”

Reese’s head shot up, his gaze narrowed. “It was my understanding you were seeing my father Saturday.”

Janet was grateful that her brother was standing in front of her and she could support her hands on his shoulders. “I told

you he’d only been teasing.”

The dark eyes hardened. “That old coot.” The words were expelled in an angry rush.

“What’s a coot?” Joel asked innocently.

“A weak-minded old man,” Reese explained as he smoothed the hair along the side of his head in an agitated movement.

The printer had stopped and Janet moved behind it to collect the printed estimate. “I’ll have this for you in a minute.”

“That’s fine. Want to see my office, Joel?” Reese invited, holding the door open for the youth.

Joel’s eyes rounded with excitement. “Sure. Can I push buttons?”

“We’ll see.”

Janet stood back, her expression tight and worried. Of all the people in the world she would never have expected Reese Edwards

to accept her brother so easily. He liked perfection; one look at the women he dated said as much.

Working as quickly as possible, Janet compiled the estimate in a neat pile. She was uncomfortable leaving Joel with Reese

for too long. Too many things could go wrong.

She stepped into his office and set the report on the edge of the desk. Joel was sitting in Reese’s high-backed leather chair,

leaning as far back as the seat would extend, his feet propped on the corner of the desk. A smile came automatically. “Honestly,

Joel, you look more pleased than Boss Hogg at feeding time.”

Reese’s deep-throated chuckle caused Janet to glance away. “Is that what you think when I sit like that?” he questioned, his

eyes glowing with a mischievous grin.

Janet locked her hands in front of her. Reese loved to fluster her. “I didn’t mean to imply,” she began shakily, “but—”

“If the shoe fits,” he finished for her.

“Exactly.”

“You know”—Reese leaned against the chair situated opposite Joel, crossing his outstretched legs in front of Janet—“it’s been

years since I went to a movie.”

“Wanna come?” Joel was so eager that he knocked a stack of files onto the floor as he swung his feet down.

Tight-lipped, Janet knelt to pick up the pile. Reese met her on the carpet as he stooped down to help her.

“I’m sure Mr. Edwards is too busy to come with us tonight, Joel. Maybe another time.” She scrambled to replace the documents

on his desk.

“I’m not busy,” Reese contradicted. “And I’ll buy the popcorn.”

Joel’s eyes immediately lit up enthusiastically.

“But you must be exhausted.” She paused to study his expression, hoping to read the real reason for his sudden desire to be

with them.

“Not at all.”

Nervously Janet moistened her lips. “Then of course you’re welcome.” The invitation lacked welcome and was issued almost grudgingly.

Janet didn’t know why he was doing this. And she wasn’t sure she approved.

Not that she had reason to fault him. Reese was wonderful with Joel. In the past Janet had noted that people, especially those

who hadn’t been around Joel, tended to talk down to him, or relate to him on a childish level. It amazed Janet that Reese

could act so naturally with her brother. He teased and laughed with Joel as if they were longtime friends.

“I like Mr. Reese,” Joel stated from the backseat of the car on the way home. He sat on the edge of the cushion, leaning as

far forward into the front seat as the car would allow.

Janet sighed. Joel had a habit of talking about people as if they weren’t there. “Mr. Edwards can be a very nice person,”

she agreed.

“Can be?” Reese murmured the question for her ears alone. His eyes flickered off the road to glance at her. The searing look

sent her pulse racing.

“But he makes you work late sometimes and then you can’t take me places,” Joel continued.

“If I promise not to do that, will you let me come with you again? Thursday nights can be boring without someone special.”

Janet wanted to scream at Reese. What did he mean someone special? He was using her brother to get to her. What possible interest

could he have in entertaining Joel? Clenching her hands into white-knuckled fists, Janet glared at Reese.

“There’s always Bunny,” she whispered in a waspish tone.

“True, there’s always Bunny,” he returned, his smile stilted and polite.

“I want Mr. Reese to come with us. He buys me popcorn.”

Janet bit into her lip to keep from saying that Mr. Edwards was accustomed to paying for his “friends.” Turning her face to

look out the side window, Janet pretended to be interested in the downtown lights. She had become so catty lately, almost

spiteful. It was unlike her and she hated these thoughts that hounded her. Strangely, they always centered around Reese and

Bunny. Could it possibly be that she was jealous?

“Ha!” She laughed. Bunny Jacobs could have him for all she cared.

“Pardon?” Reese gave her a funny look. “Did you say something?”

“No,” she said uneasily. “I didn’t say a thing.”

When they’d left the office for the theater, Reese had insisted on driving. Janet couldn’t put up much of an argument when

a blissful Joel was unable to tear his look from the plush vehicle. Now she regretted not having her own car.

After the movie Reese had asked Joel his address, which her brother had proudly repeated. It was obvious from the route he

was driving that Reese intended to drop off Joel first. When he did, Janet would insist on staying. Her father could take

her home later and she’d pick up her car tomorrow after work. Everything was decided logically in her mind. The less time

she spent with Reese the better.

“That’s it.” Joel pointed out his house for Reese, who pulled alongside of the curb and parked the car.

In a flash Joel jumped out of the seat and ran for the front door.

Janet sighed irritably. “No doubt he wants to show my dad your car.” Her guess couldn’t have been more correct. Even before

Janet could climb from the front seat, her father, mother and Joel were coming out of the house.

Reese got out of the car and stood beside Janet.

“Mom and Dad, I’d like you to meet Mr. Edwards, the president of Dyna-Flow.”

“And he bought me popcorn and orange drink and these chewy candies and let me ride in his car. And he says he wants to go

again with Janet and me and...” Joel paused, taking in a giant breath.

“I think we get the idea, Joel,” Stewart Montgomery admonished gently, extending his hand to Reese. “I’ve heard a lot about

you, Mr. Edwards. It’s a pleasure to meet you at last.”

“The pleasure’s mine, Mr. Montgomery.” His head dipped slightly as he directed his look to her mother. “Now I understand where

Janet gets those beautiful blue eyes.”

“Why, thank you.” Leonora smiled, genuinely pleased, her round face flushed with the compliment.

Janet’s fists knotted at her side. She would have loved to quietly inform Reese Edwards that her eyes were brown, but unfortunately

he was right. She half expected him to claim that she and her mother must be sisters. It sounded like a line he’d use.

“Perhaps you’d like to come in for coffee?” Janet heard her mother’s invitation and her mouth tightened. She didn’t want Reese

to involve himself further in her life.

“Yes, I would, but only if you call me Reese. I get enough of the ‘Mr. Edwards’ at the office.” The dig, however slight, hit

its mark.

“Would you prefer it if I called you Bunnytoes?” she hissed under her breath as she followed her parents into the house.

The hand guiding her elbow squeezed her arm. “No, I wouldn’t,” he murmured, the anger in his low voice barely controlled.

“You don’t want me here, do you?”

“No,” she snapped, knowing she was being unreasonable. She didn’t care. How could they maintain an impersonal, professional

relationship if he was making friends with Joel and spending time with her parents?

He halted at the screen door. The front door was open, for Janet and Reese to come inside. Janet could see her mother busy

in the kitchen, and her father was helping Joel with something.

Color flowed quickly into her face and she was painfully aware of her rude and senseless behavior.

“Come in, you two,” her father called, his eyes silently questioning Janet.

Reese hesitated for only a moment before raising his hand and pushing open the screen. Janet preceded him inside. The shag

carpet was worn and the furniture outdated and threadbare. Funny, she hadn’t noticed these things before, but she was seeing

the room with new eyes, just as Reese must be seeing it. Straightening her back in a gesture of pride, Janet walked into the

kitchen to help her mother.

Leonora was busy taking bread and sliced meat from the refrigerator, “I imagine you didn’t have time for dinner.”

“Mom,” Janet protested. “Don’t do this. You don’t need to impress Mr. Edwards.”