to fix him up on dates, but although there are times when he thinks it would be nice to have a significant other, he has never felt as though he has missed something.
After all, his father died when he was only six, and he was raised by a single mother who may have had numerous flings but never had a serious relationship that he was aware of. How could Michael possibly know what he is missing when he has never had it, nor borne witness to it, in the first place?
“Are you all right, darling?” Nan can tell, within the first few seconds, that something is up.
“I’m fine,” Michael says and sighs. “Aisling and I are over.”
“Oh love. Already?”
“Well, she clearly wasn’t the One.”
“Don’t worry, Mikey,” she says, reverting to his childhood nickname. “One of these days you will find someone who is perfect for you and all the pieces will fall into place. You’ll see.”
Michael smiles. “I’m not worried, Mom,” he says. “I just feel, you know, a little sad. Just the constant disappointment of realizing that the person you are getting to know is not the person you hope they’ll be.”
“And that’s fine,” Nan says. “It’s all part of life’s rich experience. Why don’t you come and see me? Spend a few days on the island? That would make you feel better.”
“Maybe I will,” Michael says non-committally. “Work is tough right now, but let me see if I can get some time off.”
“Tough? How can it be tough? It’s approaching summer, aren’t all those rich clients of yours off on vacation? This must be your quietest time, surely?”
“Unfortunately there’s never a quiet time here, but I will try, Mom. Promise.”
“What are you doing tonight?” Jordana comes into the workroom, her eyes sparkling.
“Why?”
“That new jewelry store on Sixty-fourth is opening and they’re having a party. I thought we could go and check out the competition.”
“You want me to go with you?” Michael is surprised. Despite working together all these years, despite numerous occasions when they have socialized together, it has rarely been just the two of them, and there has been an energy of late, a charge in the atmosphere, a tension that is not entirely comfortable.
“Would you? Jackson’s staying in Long Island tonight and I don’t want to go myself. Plus it would be helpful to have my jeweler there in case there’s anything interesting our clients might like. I need your expert eye.”
“Oh it’s my expert eye you’re interested in now, is it?” Michael raises an eyebrow, then looks quickly back at the loop in his hand. He didn’t mean it to come out like that, like a flirtatious question. Good Lord, no. He doesn’t know where to look.
Jordana steps back in surprise, then smiles at his embarrassment. How unexpected. Michael flirting with her. How . . . sweet.
“That and your company,” she says gently, and he looks up with relief.
“What time?”
“It’s six o’clock. Shall we go as soon as we shut up shop?”
“Sure thing.”
And as she walks back upstairs he can’t help but wonder why it is that this suddenly feels like a date.
“Here.” Michael comes back from chasing a waiter through the crush, holding two glasses of pink champagne high above his head.
“Cheers!” Jordana grins at him, then looks around. “There are an awful lot of people here.”
“Only because of the free food and drink.” Michael smiles.
“So what do you think of their stuff?”
Michael shrugs. “A little ordinary, although I like the insect collection.”
“You do? I always find insects a little creepy.”
“Depends what they are. The diamond tarantula isn’t quite my thing.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Jordana smiles.
“But I love the ladybird and the emerald dragonfly.”
“Could you do something like that?”
“Of course, but actually I’d love to do fish.”
“Fish?”
“Yes, fish.” Michael grins. “I grew up on Nantucket, remember? I spent my childhood out on our little Boston Whaler catching fish.”
“I know you’ve probably already told me this a million times over the years, but tell me again how you ended up a jeweler? It sounds like you would have been happier being a fisherman.” She has known Michael so long, but realizes she has never paid him much attention before. All of a sudden, she is seeing him in a different light, is interested in what he has to say.
“I’ve been asking myself that question for years. My mom had wonderful jewelry she inherited from my grandmother, and I was always fascinated by the stones.”