Chapter 21
She quickly erased the numbers, they couldn't be right. She punched the numbers in the calculator again and frowned at the same number. Something wasn't right.
Jordan had been at it all morning. She was working of course and for some reason, the numbers just weren't making sense. She looked down at her watch, four hours she'd spent and she was no where near being done. And here she thought Sunday was supposed to be a day for rest.
Standing, Jordan headed into the kitchen to pour herself another cup of coffee and sat back down, going over the numbers again. Another three hours later, she finished, her numbers finally straight. She grabbed another file, preparing to start in on it, when the phone rang. Fumbling, she picked up the phone, calling into it distractedly. "Hello?"
"Jordan?"
She straightened. "Howie, hello."
"Hey there."
"What's up?" Was it natural for her heart to be pounding so hard or for her hands to suddenly be so damn sweaty?
"Not much, I'm calling to tell you to stop working and to talk with me."
She blinked. "But I..."
"No butts, put the paper and the folders away. I'll wait."
"Howie I don't think that..."
"That's right, don't think, just do it. You did it last time and think of how great you felt after. Come on Jordan, talk to me." Howie pleaded softly.
Again she found herself putting all her papers and things away, standing and walking over to the couch. Had he read her mind? She'd been thinking about him all morning, that's the main reason why it'd taken her so long to get as far as she had, normally she would have had all that done in a short time, but she couldn't focus, she kept thinking about last night. Now that he was calling, it was making it that much harder. "Ok, I'm on the couch, work away."
Howie was quiet for a moment. "How long have you been working today Jordan?"
"Oh not too long, just a couple of hours."
"How many is a couple?"
"Oh I don't know, one, two...seven." She mumbled.
"Seven? You've been working for seven hours? Jordan."
"What?! It needed to be done! I have a lot of stuff to do and..."
"And?" And she needed something to try to keep her mind off him, off the way his arms felt about her, the way he touched her, the way he felt pressed against her body. Yeah, that's what she needed. "And other things." She heard him sigh.
"Did you finish?"
"No, not exactly. I'm gonna try to get it done before tomorrow though."
Howie chuckled sadly. "Oh Jordan. Anyway, I just wanted to say I had a great time last night, you're an amazing dancer."
"Please, I should be saying that about you. You were out there doing your thang, makes me look like a fish out of water."
"No no, really. You just needed the right music, the right setting and I'd like to think the right partner." He laughed.
His laugh poured over her like honey. "It most certainly makes a difference." God, it was warm in there all of a sudden.
"Very true, we should do it again sometime, that is if you'd like to."
"Would you give me a choice?"
"Nope." He laughed again.
She shook her head. "Yeah well, I'd put up a fight, can't make it easy for you ya know." "I'd expect no less."
****
Two hours later...
"...And...and then I said, you can't do that, you're gonna split your pants!" She managed to get out through bouts of laughter. She laughed harder when she heard Howie laughing as well.
"I can't believe that! Did he?"
"He did! I bout peed my pants!" She laughed again. Again there was laughter; Jordan wiped the tears from her eyes, putting a hand over her now sore stomach.
"Man, and I thought Nick was bad." Howie moaned.
"I dunno though Howie, the things you've told me about Nick, sounds like he's got John beat." Jordan chuckled.
"Yeah well, Nick's a character that's for sure."
She smiled; she was thoroughly enjoying herself.
"Well, I guess I should get going. I hadn't realized how long we've been talking, over two hours."
Jordan looked at her watch and frowned. "Oh, yeah you're right. I completely lost track of time."
"You know the saying, time flies when you're having fun." Howie replied softly.
"Yeah, I know." She answered softly.
"Ok then, I'll let you go. Maybe I'll give you call again sometime soon."
"Yeah, I'd like that." Howie smiled. "Till then, take care and try not to work too much."
"I'll try." She crossed her fingers.
"Uncross those fingers girl!" Howie scolded.
Her eyes widened. "How, but...how?"
"I just know these things." He chuckled.
She shook her head.
"Really now, I'll talk to you soon Jordan."
She bit her lip, reluctant to say goodbye. "Howie..." She called out.
"Yes?"
What did she do?! What did she say? "Thanks for...ya know, everything. The talk, the...dance."
He was quiet for a moment before responding, " You're welcome. Goodbye Jordan."
"Bye Howie." She turned the phone off and slumped back on the couch, sighing heavily. A few minutes later, she stood, heading over to her papers, getting ready to work again. She looked at the phone and then back down at the papers before turning and heading upstairs, her head swirling with thoughts of him.
