Sentimental Journey Read Online Free PDF Page A

piercing blue eyes glancing back at her. "And tell her when I do come back, I won't be out of her class."
    He walked away. Jessica couldn't remember his name ever being mentioned after that, not coupled with success or failure.
    His statement on that long-ago yesterday echoed clearly in her mind. On the surface, he seemed to have succeeded. That proud chip on his shoulder hadn't been in evidence, unless it had been hidden by the superb cut of his suit. But why had he come back? After all this time, what had he hoped to find? Jessica shook her head, not finding any logical answer.
    It was nothing to her. He was nothing to her, except part of an incident in her childhood, one that had probably been dramatized out of proportion by her imaginative age. It was only by sheer chance she had seen him again. The odds didn't favor a repeat, so she attempted to push all the memories, past and present, to the back of her mind.
    As the rest of the afternoon progressed, it became easier. The Atkins account demanded her attention; conferring with the artists and admen in the larger office to come up with a more palatable campaign.
    It was after five before she finally left the office for her apartment. It was a spacious, two-bedroom affair, much larger than she really needed. The spare bedroom had been used often by her family, since they were all known to drop in without warning for a visit. Justin had stayed with her while on a business trip as recently as a month ago.
    Entering the apartment, Jessica deposited her bag and the mail on the coffee table in the living room and opened the gold-flowered drapes concealing the sliding glass doors to a small balcony. In a pattern that had become routine, she continued to her bedroom. There she changed out of the vested camel tan skirt and blouse into a pair of becoming mint-green slacks with a matching silk blouse in a blue and green design.
    On her way back to the living room she stopped in the kitchen for a glass of chocolate milk, then continued to the gold sofa to read the day's mail. It was her time of the day to relax and unwind from the pressures of the office.
    In the mail, there was a letter from her mother filled with news of her grandchildren—Jessica's niece and nephew. Normally Jessica would have read the letter through at least twice, but this night she put it aside after one reading and picked up a women's magazine, choosing to immerse herself in an excerpt from a best-selling novel instead.
     

 
    Chapter Three
     
    AS ENGROSSING as the story had turned out to be, Jessica found it impossible to ignore the empty rumblings of her stomach. She turned the corner of the page and set the magazine aside. Paying no attention to the chiming of the clock, she walked into the kitchen. A plate of cold chicken and a macaroni salad were in the refrigerator. She set them on the breakfast bar and walked to the cutlery drawer of the kitchen cabinets.
    The buzzer at the door to her apartment interrupted her, and she frowned and searched her mind for who it might be. The No Soliciting sign usually kept the door-to-door salesmen at bay. Her friends generally telephoned before coming over. Shrugging that guessing served no purpose, Jessica entered the living room and crossed to the door.
    Opening it, She wascarried back to that long-ago yesterday, and her hand froze on the doorknob. Shock struck the words from her throat. She could only stare at Brodie Hayes.
    A half smile touched his hard mouth, but he seemed oblivious to her surprise. The clear blue of his eyes and the jet black of his hair was intensified by the sweater he wore, the pale color of smoke, and charcoal gray slacks. Hard and smooth as a diamond, he was a compelling figure, all male, totally at ease.
    Leaning a hand against the door jamb, he eyed her somewhat mockingly. "How did you know that I planned for us to have a very informal dinner this evening? Can you read minds, Jessica?"
    The shock receded into astonishment. "How did you