The Jinx by Jennifer Sturman Page B

awkward in his presence as I had at eighteen. Not that I’d actually ever stood this close to him when I was eighteen. “I guess I’ll talk to you later.”
    â€œSure thing,” he said. And while I was figuring out whether or not it made sense to shake his hand, he bent down and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
    I was out the door and a few steps down the hallway, feeling the familiar blush spreading across my face with renewed vigor, when he called after me.
    â€œHey, Rachel?”
    I turned, hoping that my color wouldn’t show in the fluorescent light of the corridor. He stood in the doorway to his office, his blue eyes bright.
    â€œI hope it’s not another ten years before I see you again.”
    I flashed him a smile and a wave and scurried off.
    It wasn’t until I was outside that I realized I hadn’t thought of Peter once since I’d entered the building, much less mentioned him to Jonathan.

Eight
    I had to tell someone about what had just happened. It’s not every day that you run into the love of your life. Even though, I reminded myself, I’d only thought Jonathan was the love of my life when I was young and naive. Now I had Peter, the real love of my life, even if he had been acting a bit preoccupied of late and even if Jonathan’s presence had been enough to erase all thoughts of him from my head for the better part of an hour. Still, I was bursting with the news.
    I pulled out my phone as I hurried across the business school campus. My first thought was to try Emma, but if she was really starting a new series, she’d be too distracted to be of much use, so I dialed Jane’s number instead. The familiar voice that answered was throaty, with faint traces of an exotic accent.
    â€œLuisa?”
    â€œRachel? Is that you?”
    â€œIt is,” I confirmed.
    â€œHow are you, darling? I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”
    â€œMe, too. But you’ll never guess who I just had lunch with.”
    â€œRachel, I took an overnight flight and I’ve gotten three hours of sleep in the last two days. You can’t honestly expect me to guess.”
    â€œNo need to be cranky. You give up?”
    â€œIndeed. And I’m not cranky.”
    â€œJonathan Beasley!”
    â€œWho’s Jonathan Beasley?”
    â€œWho’s Jonathan Beasley?” I repeated, amazed that she could have forgotten and forgetting myself that I had pretty much forgotten until I’d crashed into him. “Only the love of my life.”
    â€œPeter’s the love of your life, darling. Nice try.”
    â€œI know he is. I’m talking about the love of my previous life.”
    â€œI thought that was Chris the Sociopath?”
    â€œThis predates Chris the Sociopath. Don’t you remember? The guy from English 10?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThe Love Story guy? You honestly don’t remember him?”
    â€œHold on a sec.” I heard her open a door and close it and then the sound of her lighting a cigarette and taking a drag. “Sorry, needed to step out onto the porch. I think Jane would have me arrested if I smoked in the house. Of course, she doesn’t seem too worried about my dying from exposure.”
    â€œCome on, Luisa. Pay attention. Jonathan Beasley. Blondish hair, bluish eyes. Incredible smile. So beautiful. Just like Ryan O’Neal but smarter looking. And with a better voice. And maybe with some Robert Redford thrown in. A much younger Robert Redford. You must remember.”
    â€œMaybe I do. Dressed really preppie?”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œAnd you’d sit there like a lump, ogling him and not doing anything about it? Just sort of pining away instead?”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œWell, I hate to break it to you, but that pretty much describes a lot of your behavior in college. At least when it came to matters concerning the opposite sex.” I heard her take another deep drag.
    â€œNice to talk