Chapter Three

The conference is packed to the point of being overwhelming. Every travel agent, hotel manager, social media guru, and everyone with an interest in becoming one is here with at least three others. I didn't expect it to be this crowded.

Suddenly, I'm a little more nervous about my job prospects. I'm really good at what I do, but it's still hard to stand out in a crowd like this. How am I supposed to wow a company when there's fifteen other people trying to do the same thing?

I attend a couple of sessions, and eat the conference luncheon, but I'm not really learning anything new. These classes are geared toward beginners, and I'm anything but that. There's only one more class for the day, but I can't really stomach the idea of sitting through another basic class on why having a social media presence is necessary, so I go out to the hotel lobby.

The big hotel foyer leads to a bar and a restaurant as well as a comfortable seating area. There's a fireplace, but it isn't turned on since it's summer. I see several people sitting with laptops and working. I wish I had brought my computer. I could at least be filling out job applications if I had. For as expensive as this conference was, I am losing hope of this being a success.

There is supposed to be a fancy cocktail party together tonight. I'm hoping that I'll meet some big names and make some connections. It's still an hour away, but I go to the bathroom and change now.

I brought my lucky little black dress. I found it in a secondhand store, but it's Gucci and it looks amazing on me. I pull back my hair and try to find a balance between sexy and professional. It's a difficult thing to accomplish in a hotel bathroom. When I think I have something that will work, I head back out to the lobby to wait for the cocktail party to start.

I get a glass of free complimentary water since it's all I can afford and sit down at an empty table near a big window. I sit and watch the busy city streets outside, trying to not regret my choice of coming here. It's just the first day of the conference. It has to get better, right?

“Excuse me, but is this seat taken?”

My eyes go wide and my heart starts to flutter. I know that voice.

There's no way it could actually be him.

I turn, fairly sure that I've fallen asleep and am now dreaming.

Standing with a cup of coffee in his hand is Jonathan Lewis.

Yup. Definitely dreaming, but I don't dare wake up.

“What?” My eyes bug out of my head a little bit as he grins at me.

“Can I sit here?” he asks, pointing to the empty seat across from me. “Everywhere else is full.”

I glance around and realize the lobby is now packed. The bar is at least three deep to get drinks and conference attendees are spilling out of their sessions in waves. Every chair and couch is filled with bodies. Except the one chair sitting across from me.

This is the first time in my life that I'm fairly sure that the universe doesn't hate me.

“No, no. Please sit.” I motion to him, feeling my cheeks heat. “You can always sit with me, Jonathan.”

He pauses, his body stopping for a moment before settling into the chair. His smile is a little less sure, but still enough to make my stomach do happy flipflops that it's directed at me.

“You know me?” he asks.

“Of course I know you,” I tell him. “I've known you forever.”

“You have?” A quick, embarrassed smile flickers across his face. “Are you sure? I get people who think they've met me all the time.”

This is when I realize that he doesn't recognize me. He doesn't remember me as the shy, quiet girl from long ago. He doesn't remember that I've visited for every Christmas, but then again, he probably didn't really see me. I don't think I've changed that much, but it's possible that I have.

“You're Jonathan Lewis. You like to play singles tennis better than doubles. You always put extra whip cream in your cocoa. You like to wear blue because you know it brings out your eyes. Your favorite car is the blue Porsche you got when you were sixteen.”

There's a lot more, but that seems like enough.

He shakes his head. “The Porsche isn't my favorite,” he corrects me. “Everyone knows it's the red McLaren.”

I shake my head. “Nope, it's the blue Porsche. The red McLaren was a gift from your mother and you only drive it to make her happy. You love that blue car.”

He narrows his beautiful blue eyes at me and takes a sip of coffee. “You either know me very well, or you are a very good stalker.”

It's concerning to me that I'm probably a little bit of both.

“How are things going for you?” I ask. A big stupid smile fills my face as I stare at him. I've kept up with all the gossip magazines, but it's better to hear it from the source. I want to hear him tell me that he's doing well.

“I'm good. You?” He sits like he owns the place. His broad shoulders are relaxed and there's a hint of a smile on his face. There's not an ounce of being uncomfortable that he doesn't know who I am.

Me on the other hand, I'm a wreck. My heart is pounding. I'm sweating, and I think I might puke from happiness. Jonathan Lewis is talking to me. Actually, really, not in my imagination, talking to me.

“I'm great,” I gush. Reign it in, Nora. I tell myself. You are calm and sophisticated. Act like it. “What are you doing here?”

“I'm meeting a friend for dinner across the street,” he replies. “But they're running late and the restaurant is somehow even more crowded than this place.”

We both look around at the lobby full of people.

“And, the coffee cart here has the best coffee in the entire city,” he tells me. “I'd rather wait in here.”

I can see the coffee cart. The barista is a pretty blonde that looks like just his type.

“Well, you are certainly welcome to share my table,” I tell him. “I'm definitely happy for the company.”

He grins at me.

This is my opportunity. This is my chance. We can finally have a real conversation. I can have him fall head over heels in love with me. Maybe we'll make-out at Lover's Lane. Maybe he'll pull into the garage and close the door so that no one can see us. Maybe we'll get married and live happily ever after.

And I'm getting so far ahead of myself it's ridiculous.

Calm and sophisticated, I remind myself. He's barely been sitting at the table for thirty seconds and doesn't know who I am.

“I appreciate that,” he replies, flashing me another smile. “Though, I'd love to know your name. Just to help jog my memory.”

I nearly tell him. But, for the first time in years, I feel like I have a chance catching Jonathan's attention. I have a real chance.

“You're going to have to figure it out on your own,” I reply. “I'm sure it will come to you.”

“Oh, I'm sure it will.” His eyes go up and down my body, and I heat from head to toe. He just checked me out.

I feel like I'm going to pass out. My heart is going out of control and I'm suddenly really glad I haven't eaten anything yet. I'm sure he'd remember me forever if I threw up on him.

“So, why are you here?” Jonathan asks.

“I'm here for the conference,” I reply, pointing to my conference lanyard and badge.

“You must be presenting,” he says. “You look like you must be good at your job. Which is?”

“Nice try. I'm not giving you more info so you can figure me out.” I laugh, feeling the butterflies in my stomach dance. “But I'm not presenting. I'm just an attendee. ”

He leans over, looking at my conference badge. I'm suddenly very aware of the cut on my dress and that Jonathan Lewis is checking me out. The Universe was kind enough to put me in my best dress for this. It's definitely fate that he's here talking to me. Jonathan's eyes go up and down my body, and I heat from head to toe. I don't miss the slight dilation in his pupils when he looks back up at me.

“The Traveling Destination: a conference for all things traveling,” he reads off my badge. “It sounds very interesting. Could I see your badge?”

“Nope,” I reply, quickly tucking it away. Luckily my name is on the side facing me. It is pure luck that he didn't just read my name off my badge. “You aren't going to figure it out that easily.”

“Smart and beautiful,” he muses, taking a sip of his coffee. “Now I really am going to have to figure you out.”

I giggle with nerves. He's clueless, and somehow that makes me hopeful. The butler's daughter never had a chance with Jonathan, but maybe the suave and charming woman in the hotel lobby does.

“How is your mother?” I ask, changing the subject. “I haven't seen her since I got back.”

“Since you got back?” he repeats, ignoring my question. “That means you've been away. That would explain a travel conference. Who do I know that's been traveling? ”

I just smile, but my heart skips a beat. What if he figures me out? I don't want him to realize that I'm just the boring daughter of a man that works for him. I don't want to have him ignore me the way he has for most of my life. He sees me now.

“Are you a friend of Becky Sinclair? She's traveling the world for I*******m,” he says.

“No. That's not how you know me.” I grin at him. “I'll give you a hint. You've known me from before I started traveling.”

“That doesn't really help,” he tells me. He looks me over again and sighs. “There is something so familiar about you. I just can't figure it out.” He pales a little. “We aren't related, are we?”

“Oh, god, no.” I vehemently shake my head. “Not even a little bit.”

He lets out a breath. “Good. I can only imagine if I brought home a cousin.”

I blink twice. He is thinking of bringing me home? Something heats in the pit of my stomach and curls around my spine. I like the idea of him bringing me home very much.

“Well, just know that I'm an old friend, then,” I reply with a smile. “Definitely not a relative.”

“You really aren't going to tell me?” he asks, putting on big puppy-dog eyes.

For the first time ever, I'm not a stammering mess around Jonathan. I'm being flirtatious and clever. It helps that he has no idea who I am, so I have the advantage. He doesn't recognize me, so I can be anyone at all.

And right now, I am going to be awesome.

“Come back tomorrow, and I'll tell you who I am,” I say. “If you haven't figured it out by then.”

“You're going to make me wait until tomorrow?” His eyes go wide. “What if you try and disappear?”

He doesn't usually have to work this hard for a girl. Usually, they are falling all over him like I want to do.

“I won't disappear. I'll be at this conference for the next two days,” I tell him. “But I'm staying close to where you live. I have family in the area.”

If that isn't the understatement of the year, I'm not sure what is.

“Beautiful and mysterious. I can't wait to find out more about you,” he tells me. He reaches out and takes my hand in his.

Today might be the best day of my life.

“What if I asked you to lunch?” He flashes me a grin. “I'm sure my friend won't mind having a beautiful lady join us.”

Somehow the best day of my life just got better.

“And you're hoping that he'll recognize me,” I add.

Jonathan just grins. “Maybe.”

I chew on my lip for a moment. Am I ready for this? I know I shouldn't skip the conference cocktail party, but the opportunity of spending time with Jonathan is too tempting, no matter how much I paid for his conference. It's just a cocktail party. I feel a little guilty, but not enough to stop.

“I'd love to,” I tell him.

“Come with me.” He gracefully rises from his chair and holds out his hand. “It'll be my treat.”

I'm pretty sure I've died and gone to heaven.