No Love in Return-Chapter One: The Unwilling Model and the Attractive Businessman

The book opens with Eve looking at Jackson Sinclair. From what Jackson's sister, Lucie, had said, Eve had expected a middle aged, “bloodless businessman”. Although Lucie seems to love him, when Jackson Sinclair walks into the room, she grabbed Ted's hand. However, the man standing before her was in the prime of his life, and so very sexy. On the second page of the story, Eve is already describing his mouth as sensual. Even if I hadn't read the back of the book, I'd know she was totally into him. If only Eve had taken Tony's word for it, she would have been prepared.

Then we begin to get some explanation for all of these names. You see, Eve is just like you or me. Just because she happens to be beautiful enough to be able to make a living, and put her brother through college, by posing in front of cameras doesn't mean that she wants to be a model. Also, you can tell this book is old (published in 1989) because Eve is able to pay for all of her brother's college and there's no mention of student loans. Tony is the guy who takes the pictures of her and he takes an interest in Eve because she doesn't want to be a model. Her parents died after she'd gotten a two year degree at a Liberal Arts college. What's a poor girl with little education to do to make lots of money? She becomes a model. If she were a whore, this would be a different kind of book entirely. You see, it would be cruel not to put her brother, Ted, through college because he's so brilliant. He couldn't have taken loans or put himself through college.

Anyway, Tony tells Eve that Lucie is much more than “comfortably off”, she's stinking rich. Lucie's brother, Jackson, wants to forbid Ted from marrying Lucie because Jackson thinks Ted is only after Lucie's money. Oh yes, there's a time limitation because Ted's going to be an anthropologist and he's going to his fieldwork in less than a year and the two want to be married before that. Lucie was a student in Ted's Intro to Anthro course, you see. So she'll be married, and going through college, while he's in another country? That's one hell of a long distance relationship.

So, Eve is going to spend the weekend at the Sinclair's house in Boston with Lucie, Ted, and Jack to plead with Jack on behalf of the couple. Although, if Ted's just after Lucie's money, why would Ted's sister make a difference? In any case, the author makes sure Tony calls Eve innocent (Garden of Eden, anyone?) before we're taken back to the time when the book begins. You see, Jack is just so different from other men and “more attractive than any man had a right to be...” He takes his time staring at Lucie, Ted, and Eve before talking. Then we learn that he came to Boston this weekend just to see Lucie. He's had a rough week and would have stayed in London to sleep if not for his lil' sis. He declines polite talk that night and leaves the room.

Also, Jackson is apparently just like his father-passionless and coldly logical. That's what Lucie told Eve, anyway. After Jackson was born, their dad didn't care anymore and apparently Lucie was “a momentary lapse” on dad's part. According to Lucie, Jackson only cares about making money and doesn't like spending it and only talks to Lucie when he's lecturing her not to spend it. All evidence we've seen to the contrary doesn't seem to enter Lucie's mind.

When Eve's getting ready for bed, she looks in the mirror and is unhappy that she looks so much like a model. You see, Jack likes to keep out of the news and being related to a model won't help that. Eve's getting over the hill, though. She's already 28. Egads. By the way, Jack's probably in his mid-thirties. After thinking that maybe a more private line of work would make Jack happier, Eve gets up from her table and turns out the light. She goes to open a window and sees Jack leave the house and light a cigarette outside. She wonders if he was so tired, why he's awake and wandering. He leans against a tree, smokes the whole cigarette, and then wanders into the gardens. Then Eve thinks about how she can just tell that he loves this place and the only thing they have in common is loving Stonegate, the name of the expensive, nicely kept mansion where they're all spending the weekend.

All right, Eve, the reason he's awake is because he's thinking about you. Clearly, your beauty has turned him right round, right round, like a record. Also, Eve has to convince Jack that love is a real thing so he'll let Ted and Lucie get married. Hm. Now how could Eve do that? I mean, the back of the book says that Jack says he wants an affair with Eve, so she's kind of got her work cut out for her. Tune in next time to find out!