Chapter 1

Macy Misa's moment of reckoning had arrived. For the first time in eight years she was about to face the Lucas brothers. Joe didn't concern her. She suspected he wouldn't even remember what a nuisance she'd made of herself. Then again, he just might. But Nick was the brother who worried her most. He was the one who'd caught her red-handed-or at least with red lipstick in her hand. He was the one who'd mocked her and suggested her devotion to his brother was a passing fancy. Now she was forced to face him and admit he'd been right. She sincerely hoped Nick would have the good grace not to dredge up the past.

Swallowing her dread, Macy walked into the high-rise office building in the most prestigious part of downtown New Jersey. The building was new, with a glistening black-mirrored exterior that towered thirty stories above the ground. The Lucas law firm, was one of the most distinguished in town, and in New Jersey that was saying something.

Macy's footsteps made tapping sounds against the marble floor in the lobby. Although she'd been in this part of the city often-the university wasn't far from the business section-this was the first time she'd been inside the impressive building.

She was nervous, and for good reason. The last day she'd spent any time with either of the Lucas brothers she'd been caught kissing rearview mirrors.

Looking back, she knew she'd been a constant source of amusement to the brothers and their parents, as well as her own. Young love, however, refused to be denied. Risking her family's exasperation, Macy had diligently sought Evan's heart all through high school. It wasn't until Benny Wilcox asked her to the graduation dance that she realized there were other fish in the sea. Sweet, attentive, good-looking ones, too. Yes, Joe had been the man of her dreams, the one who'd awakened her to womanhood. She held her love for him in a special place in her heart, but was more than willing to forget the way she'd embarrassed herself over him, praying he did, too.

Although Macy had let her infatuation with Joe die gracefully, neither set of parents had. Particularly Sandy and Tom Lucas. They thought Macy's feelings about Joe were "cute," and they still mentioned it every now and then, renewing her embarrassment.

When Tom Lucas heard that Macy had recently graduated from business college with a certificate as a legal assistant, he'd insisted she apply with the family firm. In the beginning Macy had balked, but jobs were few and far between just then, and after a fruitless search on her own, she'd decided to swallow her pride and face the two brothers.

She was warmly greeted by the receptionist, who gave her a wide smile. Macy smiled back, hoping she looked composed and mature. "I have an appointment with Nick Lucas," she said.

The woman who appeared to be in her early thirties, with large blue eyes and a smooth complexion, glanced at the appointment book. "Ms. Misa?"

"That's right."

"Please have a seat and I'll let Mr. Lucas know you're here."

"Thank you." Macy sat in one of the richly upholstered chairs and reached for a People magazine. She'd dressed carefully for this interview, choosing a soft dove-gray suit with a tailored jacket. The buttons were made from mother-of-pearl with flashes of deep blue and white. She wore high heels, hoping to seem not only professional, but sophisticated. Her glossy brown hair was sophisticated, too, cut in a flattering pageboy. She'd grown up, and it was important Nick know that.

Macy hadn't even scanned the magazine's contents page when the younger brother appeared. She'd seen Nick often from a distance, but this was the first time they'd actually spoken in years. She'd forgotten how tall he was, with broad shoulders that tapered to slim hips. She remembered how much he enjoyed a lot of sports as a teenager like football, and how expert he was at tackling the opponent. From what she recalled about Nick, he preferred to tackle problems head on, too. She knew him to be aggressive, hardworking and ambitious. He'd taken over the law firm upon Tom Lucas' retirement three years earlier, and the firm, which specialized in corporate law, had thrived under his leadership.

"Hello, Macy. It's good to see you again," Nick said, stepping forward.

"It's good to see you, too." She stood and offered him her hand.

He clasped it with both of his own. He wasn't an especially large man, and at five two she wasn't especially small, but her hand was dwarfed in his. His grip was solid and strong, like the man himself.

"I've come to talk to you about a position as a legal assistant," she said. The direct approach would work best with Nick, she felt.

"Great. Let's go to my office, shall we?"

She was struck by the rugged timbre of his voice. It was deep, firm, exuding confidence. Little wonder Nick was one of the most sought-after corporate attorneys in New Jersey.

He motioned her to be seated, then walked around the mahogany desk and took the black leather chair. He tilted it back slightly, conveying ease and relaxation.

Macy wasn't fooled. She sincerely doubted that Nick knew how to relax. His mother, Sandy, had often voiced her concern about her younger son, complaining that Nick worked too many hours.

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice," Macy said, crossing her legs.

"It's my pleasure." He rolled a pen between his palms. "I understand you've graduated from college."

She nodded. "I have a degree in early American history."

The motion of the pen between his palms stopped and a frown creased his brown. "Unfortunately we don't have much call for historians here at the firm."

"I understand that," she said quickly. "About halfway through my senior year, I realized that although I love history, I wasn't sure what I planned to do with me degree. I toyed with the idea of teaching, then changed my mind."

"And you want to be a legal assistant now?"

"Yes. I was dating a law student and I discovered how much I enjoyed law. You see, we often did our homework together. But rather than register for law school and invest all the time and effort, I decided to work as a legal assistant-sort of get my feet wet and then decide if becoming an attorney is what I want to do. So I went to business college and got a certificate." She said all this in an eager rush. "Your father suggested I come and talk to you," she added, winding down. She opened her purse and produced her certificate for his inspection.

"I see." The pen was in motion again.

"I'm a hard worker."

Nick smiled fleetingly. "I'm sure you are."

"I'll work any hours you need, even weekends. You can put me on probation." She hadn't meant to reveal how much she wanted the position, but despite her resolve, she couldn't keep anxiety out of her voice.

"This job means a great deal to you, doesn't it?" Macy nodded.

"I think," Nick said casually, "you're still infatuated with my brother."

He spoke as if it had been only a few days since she'd all but thrown herself at Joe. Heat radiated from her cheeks. "I…I don't believe that's a fair statement."

Nick smiled shrewdly. "You've had a crush on Joe for years."

"I'll admit I used to, but that has nothing to do with my applying for a position here." She closed her mouth and collected her composure as best she could. She should've known Nick wouldn't conveniently forget their encounter all those years ago.

"It's true, though, isn't it?" Nick seemed to take delight in teasing her, which infuriated Macy. She clamped her mouth shut, rather than argue with the man she hoped would employ her. "I was there that day you put kisses all over his rearview mirror, remember?" Not trusting to speak, she nodded.

"I watched you look at him with those big worshipful eyes. I've seen plenty of other women do the same thing since, all gazing at my older brother as though he were an Adonis."

Macy's eyes widened at the use of the term. That was exactly the way she'd viewed Joe. A Greek god.

"It's true isn't it, or are you going to deny it?"

Macy's mouth refused to work. She opened and closed it an embarrassing number of times, not knowing how to respond, or if she should even try.

Stella Malone, her best friend, had claimed it wasn't a good idea to apply for work with a family who knew her so well. Macy was about to concede that Stella was right.

"I did have a schoolgirl crush on your brother at one time," she said, "but that was years ago. I haven't seen Joe in…heavens, I don't remember. Certainly no more often than I've seen you. If you believe my past feelings for Joe would hinder my performance as a legal assistant, then there isn't anything more I can say-other than to thank you for your time."

Nick's smile was slightly off kilter, his eyes bemused as if, despite himself, he'd admired her little speech. Slowly a look of sadness crossed his face. "Joe's changed," he said. "He isn't the man you once knew."

"I'd heard from my mother that he's been unhappy recently." She didn't know the details and hoped Nick would fill in the blanks.

"Do you know why?"

"No."

Nick gave a soft regretful sigh. "I might as well tell you, since you'll find out soon enough yourself. He was in love, possibly for the first time in his life, and it didn't work out. I don't know what caused the rift, and neither does anyone else, not that it matters. Unfortunately, though, Joe can't seem to snap out of his depression."

"He must have loved her very much," she whispered, watching Nick. She could tell that he was genuinely concerned about Joe.

"I'm sure he did." Nick frowned, apparently at a loss as to how to help his brother, then shook his head. "We've ventured far from the subject of your employment, haven't we?"

She straightened and folded her hands in her lap, wondering if Nick would take a chance and hire her. She was a risk, fresh out of school, with no job experience.

"You're sure you want to work here?" he asked, studying her with a discerning eye.

"Very Much."

Nick didn't immediately respond. His silence made her uncomfortable enough to want to fill it with something, even useless chatter. "I know what you're thinking," she said breathlessly. "In your eyes I'm a love-struck fourteen-year-old." She shook her head.

"I don't know what to say to convince you I've grown up, and that nonsense is all behind me, but I have."

"I can see that for myself." A glint of appreciation sparked in his eyes. "As it happens, Macy, you're in luck, because the firm could use another legal assistant. If you want the job, it's yours."

Macy resisted vaulting out of the chair and throwing her arms around Nick's neck to thank him. Instead she promised, "I won't let you down."

"You'll be working directly with Joe," he replied, still studying her closely.

"With Joe?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No…No, of course not."

"Just remember one thing. It doesn't matter how many years our parents have been friends. If you don't do your job and do it well, we don't have room for you here."

"I wouldn't expect you to keep me on if I didn't pull my weight," she said, trying hard not to sound defensive.

"Good." He reached for the intercom and glanced at her. "When would you like to start?"

"Now, if you want."

"Perfect. I'll ring Mrs. Sterling. She's Joe's personal assistant, and she'll show you the ropes."

Macy stood and extended her hand. "You won't be sorry, I promise you." She pumped his hand enthusiastically until she realized she was overdoing it.

Grinning, Nick walked around to the front of his desk. "If there's anything I can help you with, let me know."

"I will. Thank you, Nick."

DISCLAIMER: SADLY I DON'T OWN JONAS OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS or maybe even this story. Like i said, i just got this from a book. :P

Hey guys! It's been sooooo long since i've updated my first story. Sorry if I didn't update earlier, it's just been so hectic and i had veery little time to write and upload this chapter. I'm soo sorry if some of u guys waited soo long. I actually thought this was a veery long chapter since i took a long time to type it, but i guess i was wrong. :( Anyways, hope you enjoyed this one! Please R&R! :D