ajax calls works, but only on second try

ajax calls works, but only on second try

I'm trying to use the  jqmodal dialog plugin and everything is working OK except for one minor problem.  It seems when I click on the link, the expected action does not occur until I click the second time. Essentially I set up a small test form with a single line put into a table.  In that data line is an href, which when clicked calls an AJAX function and returns text, which displays as a dialog.  Like I said, this works fine except for the fact that the dialog does not show until the second time I click on the link.  I added an alert box to the code, so I know the function is executed the first time the link is clicked, but I can't figure out how to fix the problem.
Could sure use some help.  I have pasted the code below.

Tom

<script>
$().ready(function() {
    $("#hrefClick").click(function(e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    var NoteID = $(this).attr('href');
    hrefVal = 'displaynotedata.php?NoteID='+NoteID;
    // alert(hrefVal);
     $('#ex2').jqm({ajax: hrefVal, trigger: 'a.ex2trigger', modal:true, overlay: 25});
   });
});
</script>
</head>

<body>
 <form>
     <table width="100% border="1">
      <tr>
         <td valign=top align=left ><a href="editnotes.php?ID=1751" target=_blank><img src="pencil.gif" border=0></a></td>
         <td valign=top align=right ><img src=internal.gif border=0></td>
         <td valign=top align=center ><img src=check.gif border=0></td><td valign=top align=left ></td>
         <td valign=top align=left width=150 >
         <a href="view_household.php?SSN=111-11-1111">Smith, David and Mary</a>
         </td>
         <td valign=top align=left >Smith</td>
         <td valign=top align=left >
         <b><a id="hrefClick" href="1751" name="IDhref" class="ex2trigger" > Oil change for Ford due <br><font color="#888888"></a></b></font>
         </td>
      </tr>
    </table>
</form>

<div class="jqmWindow" id="ex2">
Please wait... <img src="inc/busy.gif" alt="loading" />
</div>


</body>
</html>