Logic apparently won out. She hesitated some more before finally blowing out a breath. “I guess it’s probably wise to stay.”
Before she could change her mind, Jordan showed her the way to the guest suite down the hall.
“Good night, Jordan. Hope you have a pleasant sleep,” she said, then slowly shut the door.
He knew full well that wasn’t terribly likely. Not with Jess merely a few feet away under the same roof.
The hours that slowly passed until morning only served to prove him right. Jordan spent the night tossing and turning, his mind restless and all too aware of his alluring overnight guest.
When morning finally arrived, it wasn’t soon enough. Jordan made his way into the kitchen and immediately plugged in the coffee machine. He wasn’t surprised when Jess appeared in the doorway. She looked every bit as tempting as she had last night.
“Thank you for such fine accommodations. I definitely needed the rest.”
At least one of them had gotten some sleep, Jordan thought with no small amount of envy. “What kind of host would I be if I didn’t offer you a cup of coffee upon awakening?”
She gave him a small, albeit grateful, smile. “I’ll take you up on that. I’m not really safe to operate heavy machinery before a hit of caffeine in the morning.”
There went his resolution from just yesterday about not inviting Jess to any more activities. But he knew they had to talk before she left. They couldn’t just ignore what had happened last night. Though he wanted nothing more right now than to do just that, he’d never been one to put off things he didn’t want to face.
The coffee was brewed in no time and he was soon pouring each of them a tall, steamy mug of the rich Jamaican blend he always had on hand.
“This smells heavenly. Thanks,” Jess said before taking a small sip.
“How did Sonya seem last night?” he asked her.
“Tired. Very tired.” She ducked her head as if embarrassed. “And apparently, so was I.”
“We shouldn’t have asked you to stay after such a long day. I apologize.”
Jess blinked and looked away. “I’m glad you did. I enjoyed getting Sonya into bed. She’s a delightful little girl.”
“She’s been through a lot. In a very short span of time. I need to be careful with her.”
She sucked in a breath before continuing. As if she were weighing her words. “You do seem quite protective of her.”
“I’m all she has.”
“I think she may need more, Jordan.”
Her statement didn’t surprise him. He wasn’t blind to the happenings around him, and Jess had proven herself to be one who spoke her mind. “If you’re referring to her developing disability, she has standing appointments with several professionals in the city. She’s seen everyone from doctors to counselors to speech pathologists. She’s getting the utmost care to deal with this as it happens.”
Jess looked down. “That’s not what I’m referring to. I figured you would have that part handled given what I know of you already.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing almost.”
She shrugged. “No, it’s not. But sometimes matters require more than the writing of a check.”
“Like what?”
“When I think of what you’ve told me about her. All she’s been through in the past couple of years...”
What exactly was she getting at? “Not to sound harsh, but what exactly is your point? I’m getting her the best care that money can buy.”
Jess let out another long breath. “Exactly. Maybe what she needs isn’t something that can be bought.”
Jess tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her hand seemed to be trembling ever so slightly as she spoke again. “She lost her father, a somewhat stable home. After she watched him get ill. Then her mother abandoned her.”
“I told you she’s in the care of a child counselor.”
“I’ll try again. Look around you, Jordan. Look at this island. This community. There has to be a reason this is the place you chose.”
He shrugged. “Of course there is. My mother had wonderful stories about growing up here. We even visited a few times when I was a child. I know what a tight-knit community this is.”