Jack reaches over and takes my hand, “I’m sorry. I’m so very sorry. I didn’t realise it was something like that. I bet she was a wonderful woman.”
I nod though I can’t look up at him yet, I need to console myself to a degree otherwise I know I will completely lose it.
Jack gets up, sweeps all our dinner mess over to one side then surprises me by walking around to me and sweeping me up in his arms. I instantly cry harder into his neck, I can’t help it. He carries me through to a sitting room which has a large round bucket chair and he sits us both down while cuddling me and stroking my hair, allowing me to cry. In some unexpected way, it doesn’t feel weird. It feels normal and it feels good to be comforted by him. I eventually run out of tears and use his t-shirt I am wearing to wipe my face. I must look a picture.
“I’m sorry....I don’t know what came over me. I don’t usually talk about things as it upsets me....but this was a whole new level. I’m sorry to burden you...” I look tentatively up to him.
He has sorrow filled eyes and I know he feels sorry for me which I don’t want, or need. I start to get up but his grip around me tightens, “No. You’re staying here. You’re not running away from this.”
He gives me a minute to digest this.
“You are not a burden, Jennifer. Not to me, not to anyone. You are a beautiful young lady, inside and out and you need to grieve. It’s natural, and losing your mom is not something you will ever get over. Not that I can speak first hand, but my best friend lost his mum a few years ago and I knew her from when we were kids, she was like an aunt to me. You don’t ever get over it, but you learn to cope.”
I nod silently.
“How long ago did she pass?”
I’m grateful for his tactful use of words, I hate the word ‘die’.
“It’s nearly three years. November 6 was when I found her. I lived in the university halls of residence but was going to hers for breakfast on the Saturday morning. We did that every week, we talked almost every day on the phone, I liked to check on her, but Saturday mornings were our weekly catch ups. It made sense for me to stay in halls during term time as I was closer to the library and mum said it would give me an altogether better experience, easier to make friends and what not. I loved it, but then I felt so guilty she died alone. I had thankfully talked to her on the phone the night before, she was helping me with a report I was working on. I’m glad I got the chance to say ‘I love you’ one last time. It was the very last thing I said to her,” I take a slow shaky breath trying not to fall apart again. “It’s about the only comfort I take from it, I’m glad it was the last thing we both said.”
“You shouldn’t feel guilty, Jen. I’m sure your mom wouldn’t want that. It was her choice for you to live in halls, and you would’ve had to move out at some point anyway,” he comforts.
“I know....but still....” I shrug.
“What about your father? You said he lives with his new family? How did that come about?” he asks.
“Ugh....that is a whole other story...” I roll my eyes in disgust.
“You wana shorten it down for me?” he pries. He doesn’t give up.
I take a moment to gather my thoughts.
“I was going into my second year at uni and one day he just came home from work and told my mum he wanted a divorce. It was completely out of the blue. He just said he had met someone else and that was it. He moved out immediately, it was surprisingly amicable between mum and dad, but I can’t forgive him as it transpired he had been having an affair with a younger woman and had gotten her pregnant,” I look down at my hand to see Jack loosening the fist I had unconsciously made.
“Loosen up there, baby,” he smiles gently at me now stroking my hair.
“Sorry, it riles me up. I just feel that she had the worst last few months on her own. I wanted to move home but she wouldn’t let me as she was so stubborn, she said I had to think about myself and that things between her and dad hadn’t been great for a few months, years even, but...I just can’t shake the thought that she died alone and with a broken heart. She still loved my dad, even though she wouldn’t admit it. Jasmine, my sister, had already moved out and down to Edinburgh to live with her boyfriend, Jeff. She’s always been a bit of a wild child. She moved out when she was nearly eighteen. Mum and dad weren’t happy about it, but she had lined everything up including a job in a shop until she started uni. She had already been accepted for her uni course in Edinburgh, so the fact that she was kind of being sensible too, they relented and let her go on the basis she would keep her place at uni. I think she is doing well, she is smart, but we fell out when dad buggered off and we haven’t talked since. I guess she will be due to graduate next summer.”
“You should make up with her...” Jack says.
I sit up and turn to look at him, this is none of his business.
“Before you go off on one,” he continues, “from an outsider looking in, you should try and reconcile. You had a lot of shit going on back then, but you obviously miss her from the way you act?”
I sink back down into him, “I do miss her, but I just feel she wasn’t there for mum when dad left. She was so selfish, and she would still talk to dad all the time, and I know she still goes down to stay with him. I just don’t get her.”
“Well, just some food for thought, you should talk to her, she is family, and that is important,” he goes on.
“Yeah, I suppose. Maybe one day.”
We cuddle up closer on the seat, pondering our thoughts, and the next thing I know, it is morning. We both fell asleep and I’ve woken up feeling like a pretzel.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” Jack croaks.
“Hey...” I whisper back.
“Sleep well?” he grins sleepily.
“Like a rock...” I yawn and smile sleepily back at him sitting up and stretching out.
“I think coffee would be good right about now,” he laughs and stretches his back and arms out.
I breathe in while making an attempt to uncrease my limbs, and realise I smell coffee brewing, “Did you put the coffee maker on already?” I ask, surprised. There is no way he could have gotten up without moving me.
“Oh, no, that’s my house keeper, Mary. You’ll love her, she’s great,” he sits up too.
He pulls me up and gives me a quick hug, then we walk through to the hallway. Before going into the kitchen I say I want to go and freshen up a bit, so I leave him and run upstairs. My case has miraculously made its way into his bedroom and I grab some clothes and make my way into his en-suite. I have a quick shower, get dressed into a pale lemon summery dress and light white cardigan, quickly put on some make-up and tie my hair back, before making my way back downstairs. As I walk into the kitchen the smell of bacon hits my stomach, I could get used to having a house keeper.
“Good morning, Miss. Jennifer,” a short, older Hispanic lady greats me pushing a mug of coffee towards me across the breakfast bar.
I think I love her.
“Please sit, I’m just about to serve up. You like bacon and eggs?”
I think I may marry Mary.
“Umm, yes...thank you so much! You must be Mary?” I ask her.
“Yes, yes, I’m Mary. Just you let me know if you want or need anything at all, Miss. Jennifer,” she smiles widely.
I love her accent. I smile back at her. She seems super sweet. I see what Jack meant when he said I would love her.
“Mary, here is a little something for your new grand baby,” Jack appears and hands her a box.
“Oh, Mr. Jack, you shouldn’t have!” She covers her mouth with her hand and I realise she has tear filled eyes.
“Oh, Mary. Please stop getting so emotional when I give you things! You should be used to it by now!” Jack pulls her into a one arm squeeze. “Mary became a grandmother for the first time last week. You need to check it out, Mary! I know you’ll love it.” He nods at the package, prompting her.
“Mr. Jack is too good to me and my family,” she talks quick
ly. “My daughter had a baby boy last week, oh he is so precious!” She says clutching the box to her chest. “Thank you, thank you, Mr Jack! My daughter will love it, whatever it is!”
“What is his name?” I ask.
“Christian, he is such a good little boy. My daughter is enjoying motherhood very much.”
She lays the box down and opens the top, then squeals as she looks in. She pulls out a rubber duck with a tartan pattern on it. He got the baby a Scottish rubber duck! I can’t help but grin at him. Then a tiny pair of tartan shorts and a tiny little white shirt with a little tartan bow tie. It is by far the cutest little baby outfit I have ever seen.
“Oh my gosh!” I can’t help but exclaim. It’s out before I can stop myself.
“You said it, Miss Jennifer!” We are now both gushing over the outfit and duck and Jack starts laughing.
“You girls are hilarious, it’s only a little something from Scotland. A colleagues wife has her own business and made it for me when I mentioned I was looking for something for little Christian,” he shrugs. “I put something a little more helpful in the card, Mary. Make sure your daughter puts it to good use.”
I realise he is talking about some money for the baby, and Mary starts crying all over again.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry....” she tries to calm down. “You are just so good to us, Mr. Jack.”
“Well, that feeling is mutual, Mary. Go take a break, I’ll message you later and let you know if we need dinner or anything left.”
“Of course, of course. Just leave everything once you are finished and I’ll clear it up. I’ll go see to upstairs, give you some space to enjoy your breakfast.”
We eat up our delicious breakfast and when Jack goes to shower, I go for a proper wander around his home. It is so beautiful. I walk over to the floor to ceiling windows at the back of his house and off the kitchen seating area. There is a huge balcony which overlooks an equally huge swimming pool. Wow. There are palm trees, and lots of various seating options. How the other half live, I find myself thinking, again. I really have no idea how I fit into all of this, it is so very different from the life I know and lead.
As I stand finishing my second cup of coffee I hear Jack looking for me, so I go to find him.
“Would you like to go for a drive today?” he asks, dangling the car keys and walking over to me.
“Sure, so long as you’re driving,” I reply, there is no way in hell I am driving here.
“Of course! I thought we could go to the Kemah Board Walk,” he suggests.
“OK, whatever that is, it sounds like fun,” I smile at his handsome face. It makes me feel a tad sad as I could happily look at that face for a lifetime, but I know it’s not going to last, I have to go home some time. I just need to make the most of my time here with him.
“Oh, it is! We’re gona have a blast!”
Chapter 22
We are cruising along the freeway in Jack’s Corvette, I think that’s what it is. I’m not very up on cars, but this is definitely a very nice sports car, and I’m sure it is a Corvette. I don’t think you get them at home, though what do I know? Other than I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in Scotland. Again, it is black, we seem to be onto a theme, I realise that everything he owns seems to be black or white. I guess he likes simplicity, sleek and modern.
“So you like cars and gadgets then?” I ask over the purr of the mean sports engine.
“Yeah, I guess I’m a bit stereotypical, huh?!” he grins.
“No, not at all what I was thinking!” I feel bad he thinks that I think that. “It’s just a lot to take in. Did you grow up in a wealthy household? Sorry...maybe that’s a weird question?! I don’t mean to pry.”
He smiles and takes my hand. The car is automatic so it’s nice we can hold hands while he’s driving.
“No, not at all. I know my life is maybe a bit hard to process. It hasn’t always been like this, though I grew up in a relatively well-off working class family. I grew up in the city, in a place called Rice Village, not far at all from my place now. My folks were well enough off, it’s a nice area to live in and grow up in, but they are very normal. My father is a wealthy man now what with heading up SER with me, but they are very normal, not extravagant people. They like nice things, but they don’t go overboard. They still live in the same house we grew up in, they drive slightly nicer cars than they did when we were kids, but for the most part, they are very down to earth. I guess I’m a little more extravagant. I like nice things,” he winks at me. I love it when he does that.
“They sound really nice,” I reply watching the traffic whiz by. “Your parents, I mean.”
“They are, and they will love you,” he says.
I wonder if I will meet them one day. I doubt it so I try to quash the thought of what they would be like. No point on getting my hopes up.
We finally pull off of the freeway and exit onto what looks like a seaside resort. It is so different from Downtown Houston, and West University where Jack lives. The warm sea air makes me feel instantly relaxed and more like I’m on holiday, rather than a business trip, as we drive slowly past some holiday shacks. I see some little corner shops selling wind chimes. It is very quaint. I wonder if Jack would like a wind chime for his garden, or if he might think it is tacky.
“Do you like wind chimes?” I ask him before I can stop myself.
“Umm, I personally haven’t ever owned one, but my mom has always had one on the porch at home,” he shrugs. “I actually think she or dad bought it up here when we were kids. I don’t really remember.”
I smile to myself. I doubted it was something he would own, but it’s totally something I would buy if I had a porch.
After we have parked and are walking to the beach front I see yachts sailing by, kids with ice creams, I see and hear people enjoying themselves at an amusement park. We wander around for a while watching and chatting, it is lovely. It’s just like being on holiday.
“I’m so glad you took me out here, I love it!” I tell Jack.
It feels so romantic walking around hand in hand, people watching. I smile at some children running through water jets spurting out of the ground. Their clothes are soaking, but they are loving every drop of it, squealing and screaming with joy. Their parents are photographing them and laughing.
“Yeah, I love it out here. I come out here quite a lot. It’s just fun, reminds me of growing up.”
We grab a late lunch at a seafood place overlooking Galveston Bay, and spend the rest of the afternoon walking around, going on the carousel, playing in the amusement arcade and then getting soaked by the water jets ourselves. It got so warm, it felt great! It is one of the best days I have ever had.
“You know, I love that smile of yours, Jen,” Jack is watching me intently as we are stopped at some traffic lights on our way back into Houston.
I look at him shyly, “Well, you make it easy for me to smile, Jack.”
“I’m glad,” he seems to process my answer as the traffic lights change to green and he hits the accelerator again. “On Sundays, when I’m in town, I usually go to my parent’s house for brunch. I wasn’t going to go tomorrow as I really want to spend the day with you again, but would you come with me?”
His invite has truly left me at a loss for words. He wants to take me home? He’s only really known me a week or so – albeit, a LOT has happened in the last week, but I’m still caught off guard at the thought of him introducing me to his parents. Especially as I know how highly he regards them, and how much he presumably would want their opinion of me.
I eventually find some words, “You want to take me home?” I ask, somewhat tentatively.
“Yeah. Yes, I really do want to take you home to meet my parents. Is it too soon? I mean, I don’t want to put you on the spot, and if you don’t want to, that’s ok. I just...I don’t know, Jen...there is just something about you. I just want to take you home. I want to introduce you to my folks, I want you to see where I grew up. I don’t want
to scare you away though. I just want you to see me, for me.”
I smile and study my nails for a moment, “I’d love to,” I reply, quietly. I’m truly flattered.
“Are you sure?” he asks.
“Yes, I’m sure. I would love to meet your parents, Jack. Thank you for asking me, I feel honoured. Are you sure they won’t mind?” I ask.
“Of course not. They will be over the moon if I bring you,” he has a permanent smirk on his face now.
I find I have a permanent smirk on my own face too. I think I’ve smiled and laughed more in the last week than I have in the last few years.
“Awesome,” he says quietly, watching the road, still smiling.
We drive home chatting about the fun-filled day we have shared, laughing about some of the funny sight’s we saw, all the ice-cream smeared kids faces, the constant sound of chatter and laughter. I feel happy to the core. Between Jack giving Mary that absolutely adorable little outfit for her new grandson, him treating me like royalty and spoiling me literally from the moment we met, I know I am falling hard and fast for this extraordinary man. It occurs to me that perhaps he feels the same. Maybe I shouldn’t be so lackadaisical about the whole situation and our obviously growing relationship. Maybe, just maybe, he sees us going further. I feel my heart hammer in my chest and my cheeks grow heated at the thought of something actually happening between us. I realise I haven’t thought about work at all today, not even for a millisecond until now. I quickly eradicate the thought as I don’t want this weekend to ever end.
We go home to his house and spend the evening watching Halloween movies before going to his en-suite for a rather luxurious yet toe curling bath together. The man never ceases to amaze me with his talents. We are both exhausted after spending the day in the sun, and mostly after last night’s attempt at sleeping on the sofa, I am glad to eventually curl up in his arms and let sleep envelope me.
Chapter 23
The following morning I wake up smiling at the light streaming in through the crack in the curtain and to the feeling of something long, thick and hard prodding my leg. That ‘something’ belonging to the nether region of the man that I think I am already in love with, I just do not want to admit it. Neither to myself, nor him, at all. This man is actually insatiable. After a long slow magical rendezvous we reluctantly haul ourselves into the shower to get ready for brunch at his parent’s house.
Silver City Girl Page 14
