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Instead, get to know her. She just might become your sister-in-law.”
    “Wow, Nathan . . . it’s that serious?”
    “You and Mom have been on my case about settling down. Now that I’m thinking about it, you’re acting shocked.”
    “I am, but I’m also happy that you’ve found someone to care about so deeply. Do the background check, Brother. And I’ll welcome your girl Jessica with open arms.”
     
    His attention returned to the laptop screen. He scrolled down, clicked on a website, and after paying the fee for obtaining the report, typed a name into the search box. First glance showed there were dozens of Jessica Boltons in America.
    After seeing how the categories were organized, he looked for her age, twenty-eight, and then over to the column for cities. Minutes later, the report was ready. With a hint of trepidation that surprised him, he began to read.

    “Hey, pretty lady. Where’s that gorgeous smile?”
    Jessica looked up into the hazel-green eyes of Vincent Givens, one of the office’s up-and-coming attorneys. His not-so-subtle flirting had begun within minutes of her being hired as their receptionist a month after arriving in the ATL. If not for her interest in Nathan, she would have acted upon the obvious attraction between them.As it was, she enjoyed their workplace friendship.
    “Good afternoon.”
    “That’s all I get? No smile to go with that greeting?”
    Jessica turned and showed pearly whites.
    “Ms. Bolton, on you even a fake smile looks good.”
    “There are no messages or mail for you here, Mr. Givens. So if you don’t mind, I’ll get back to work now.”
    “Why are you being so hard on someone who’s trying to be nice to you?”
    She hid a smile by turning to the memo she’d been typing, and resumed. “Because, like you, I have work to do.”
    “All right. But if you ever need anything at all, I’m here for you.” He looked around quickly before leaning closer. “And I do mean . . . anything.”
    She didn’t bother to watch him walk away. No matter, she knew how good that hard butt looked moving down a hall. In another life, she would have been on Vincent like white on rice, would have dated him in a heartbeat. She even wished she could confide in him, tell him about the promise she’d made that was driving her crazy. Unfortunately what she was about to do for her sister was something no one could ever know. If anyone found out, she’d join her dear Sissy; not exactly the type of reunion she’d envisioned. Unable to concentrate, Jessica called her backup and a few minutes later took a break. The downtown streets were as bustling as her thoughts.
    Why was Nathan asking so many questions?
    Is he angry that I was evasive?
    Is that why he didn’t call much last week, and chose to spend Sunday hanging out with his friends?
    By the time Jessica reached a well-known deli and decided to grab a sandwich, she’d worked herself into a ball of walking worry, desperate to know if Nathan had found out something best kept hidden.
    So much so that the vibrating cell phone in her suit pocket made her jump. Looking at the ID only increased her heart rate. “Hey, Nathan.”
    “Hey, baby. Are you all right?”
    “I’m just . . . having one of those days, you know?”
    “I thought the law firm’s cases slowed during the holidays.”
    “Work is fine. It’s just . . .”
    “What’s the matter, Jessica?”
    “I don’t know. You’ve been so quiet lately and we haven’t hung out as much.”
    “That’s why you’re upset? Baby girl, I told you how my schedule would be until Christmas.”
    “Yes, but on Sunday you spent time with your friends instead of me.”
    “You knew about that days before and didn’t say anything when I told you. What’s got you acting insecure?”
    “The holidays make me sad sometimes. That’s all.”
    “Lucky for you I have just the type of information that will cheer you up. Why don’t we meet for dinner around seven thirty?”
    “That sounds