Copyright © 2020 by Denean Dawson
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Passion For Change:
A Jamyson Brothers Madison Heights Novella
Book Two
by Denean Dawson
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Table of Contents
Chapter One, A Change of Heart
Chapter Two, Welcome Home
Chapter Three, Jack’s on the Job
Chapter Four, A Family Affair
Chapter Five, Meet Cute
Chapter Six, A Pleasant Surprise
Chapter Seven, Everything Happens for A Reason
Chapter Eight, Happy Family
Chapter Nine, First Dates
Chapter Ten, Stars Are Aligning
Chapter Eleven, Closer Than Ever
Chapter Twelve, I Love You’s
Chapter Thirteen, Meeting the Family
Chapter Fourteen, Anything for Danielle
Chapter Fifteen, Forever Girl
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About the Author
Chapter One, A Change of Heart
Jack had finally figured out that maybe he could do better, maybe he could actually do something productive with his life. He'd always been somewhat of a trouble maker. He had been so willing to try to be different when it came to Caroline, his brother’s new nanny. He wanted to make her happy so badly that he had put her happiness before his, which was why she ended up with his brother instead of him. His brother, Jake, worked so hard at their family accounting business, that when Jack saw how immediate the connection between Caroline and Jake was, he knew he had to step aside, even if that was something he had never even considered before. He had learned that he could think about someone other than himself. He had chosen, for the first time, to put someone else’s needs and desires before his own.
Although it was satisfying to see his brother and Caroline happy, he wished that he had something in his life that brought him the same kind of joy. Even though he could have any woman he wanted, he was still a very lonely man.
It appeared Denise, the brothers’ longtime friend, and Jake’s personal assistant, would be the first to see him as a changed man. “Jack, it’s a surprise to see you here,” she said when Jack walked into the office.
“I know, but I’ve turned over a new leaf. I’m going to do more within the company,” he replied to the sweet brunette as he walked over to her desk with a coffee for her.
“Well, isn't that nice? I’m sure Jake will be happy about that,” Denise replied.
“I’ll be happy about what?” Jake parroted as he walked up to the pair.
“Well, your brother has apparently seen the error of his ways. He wants to be more involved,” Denise divulged with a smile.
“Now that doesn’t sound like the brother I know,” Jake said as he looked at Jack questioningly.
“I'm trying something new. I want to make something of myself, I want to be proud of something,” Jack said as he handed another coffee over to his brother.
“Hmm, I don’t know if I should be happy or concerned,” Jake replied with an eyebrow raised.
“Oh, come on, have a little faith in me,” Jack implored as he nudged his brother with his elbow.
Jake sighed, rubbing at his jaw, his eyes, his forehead. He looked like a man trying to decide whether or not to gamble on a high-stakes bet. It was clear worry and indecision were his top contending feelings.
Of course, Jack could understand his brother’s concern. After all, he hadn’t played a very big role in the company for quite some time, and that didn’t give him the best reputation. He knew he needed to change that. He wanted to change his entire life because, even though it had been fun for the last few years, he knew he needed more, he was ready for more.
“Alright, but if you start acting up in any way, I’m cutting you off,” Jake laid down the law, leveling him a no-nonsense look. “It’s been bad enough as it is dealing with your shenanigans. If you're in this, I need you to be all in.”
“Completely understand, man. I’m just here to work. I swear,” Jack replied with a mock salute.
“That’s not helping your case,” his brother told him sternly.
“Okay, okay. I’m here, so tell me what to do,” Jack said.
‘Well, for one, you can sort out your desk. You know, the one over there that hasn’t had anyone sitting behind it for months?” Jake replied as he pointed to the referred-to object.
“That isn’t exactly work,” Jack complained as he looked at the desk and then back at his brother.
“If you’re going to be working here more often, then you need a desk to sit at. Since that is your desk, it needs to be tidy.” Jake shrugged his shoulders. Sometimes the little things were actually the big things.
“I can hire someone to clean it, I want something real to do,” Jack argued as he followed his brother into his office. “Also, why can’t I have an office like you?”
“For someone who has just decided to come and do his actual job, you sure have a lot of questions. Firstly, you can’t hire anyone to clean your desk for you, it’s your responsibility to do that. Secondly, you don’t have an office because you hardly work here. Out of the two of us, I play the more important role,” Jake said matter of factly as he sat behind his desk.
Jack could tell that his brother was loving the power trip. It had been a regular thing for them to constantly one-up each other, and after all the time Jack had missed while he was figuring himself out, he knew his brother was enjoying making him work for this. It wasn’t as if Jack could blame him either, especially as he had kept his distance from the office for so long. If Jamyson and Jamyson were anything other than a family operation, he’d have been fired long ago.
“Okay, fine. Have it your way. I’ll show you that I’m being serious about all of this.” Jack waved his hands grandly in the air, indicating their whole business. He was going to do this, and he was perfectly fine jumping through any hoops Jake held up before he trusted him with the real work. That's how important this was.
Jack left his brother’s office and returned to reception. “Denise, where can I find some cleaning supplies around here?” he asked.
“The supply cabinet's just down the hall, the first door on the left,” she said as she indicated the way with a point of her finger.
“Thank you.” Jack threw her a charming smile before heading that way.
Once he found the cabinet, he grabbed all the cleaning supplies he thought he needed to clean his desk area. He knew he shouldn’t be messing around with cleaning supplies when he was wearing such an expensive suit, but he had a point to prove and he’d be damned if he didn’t go all out. Silently, he went over to his desk, clearing everything away before wiping down every surface. He could feel eyes on him while he focused, but he didn’t care. He would show everyone just how serious he was.
He no longer wanted to be the guy that was just known for being a playboy. Sure, that lifestyle had suited him for a while, but he didn’t want it anymore. He wanted something to look forward to, he wanted someone to go home to. He wanted what his brother had. He knew he'd created a reputation for himself with women, but he would prove to everyone that he wasn’
t that guy anymore. He didn’t want to just continue to sleep around. He wanted to fall in love and settle down, maybe even have a child of his own. It was clear an important aspect of the life he'd started dreaming of was a stable job, a way to provide. He would just endure the looks, and the patronizing treatment by his brother, in order to build the future he was dreaming of.
So, he just threw himself into the task at hand and presto! Like magic, he had made the mess disappear and scrubbed the desk until it shined.
“Well, look at you being so clean,” his brother commented once Jack had come back from returning his armful of cleaning supplies to the cabinet, and was sitting behind his spotless desk.
“If I’m going to work here I want a clean desk,” Jack mimicked.
“It is your desk, so we’ll see how long that lasts,” Jake replied a little smugly.
“Hey, come on now. He’s trying,” Denise chastised as she came into view.
“Thank you, Denise. At least I have you cheering me on.” Jack puffed with pride and gratitude and acknowledged Denise's helpfulness with a slight bow of his head.
“To be honest, I’ve been hoping you’d come around. After all this time, I think you owe it to yourself to really show people who you are and how powerful you can be,” Denise praised.
Jack could appreciate having someone who saw things the way he did. Denise had said exactly what he was feeling. He knew it was his time to be more, to do more, and he really just wanted people to believe he was capable. He could understand why they'd be hesitant about him, and about trusting what he had to say, but he hoped that, after some time, they would see he was truly being honest about the changes he wanted to make in his life.
“It’s not that I’m not cheering you on, it’s the fact that I’m your brother. I’ve seen you have these sorts of moments before, and then you just go back to your normal behavior,” Jake explained.
“I know, and I know that I have a lot to prove, but you’ll see. I really mean it this time,” Jack insisted.
Jake held his hands out in surrender. “Hey, I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt, but if you screw up, I’m kicking you out. I’ve worked hard all on my own to get our successful business this far, and I won’t let anyone, even you, ruin that.”
“I completely understand,” Jack assured, “just give me some time and I’ll show you that I mean what I say.”
“Well then, get to work. I’m sure there's a lot you still need to figure out,” Jake said as he turned and headed back to his office.
“If you need any help, just ask. I’m more than willing to show you how things work around here,” Denise offered before she too turned and went back to her desk.
Jack could appreciate having someone there that knew him other than his brother. Being such long term friends with Denise made the prospect of working at the office that much better. Of course, Jack would be fine on his own if need be, but knowing he had someone who was eager to help him definitely gave him peace of mind.
He turned his attention to his desk. He hadn’t worked behind a desk in so long that all his paperwork was in complete disarray. He tidied up the mountain of clutter he had set aside, packing stray supplies away, and creating piles of documents as he went. He was sure that he would figure out the lay of the land and how the office operated in no time.
When it was time to call it quits on his first full workday, he still hadn’t managed to get around to doing any actual work. Most of his time had been spent on organizing and re-acquainting himself with his files. It was clear that no one had touched his desk since he had stopped showing up to the office.
“Well, it seems as if you were very busy today. Do you want to go for a drink?” Jake asked as he called it a day himself.
“That would be great. Tomorrow I’ll be able to do more now that I have everything in order,” Jack said proudly as he glanced at his newly transformed desk one more time before turning to walk after his brother.
“Considering you likely haven’t worked a full eight hour day since we joined the company, I suppose you’ve shown some dedication today,” Jake remarked as they stood in the elevator.
“Trust me, you’ll be seeing more of it,” Jack replied.
“What’s brought on this change, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Jack could tell he was genuinely curious, and after a moment of thinking about how to word his answer, Jack said, “I guess it’s all thanks to Caroline. I mean, I know she’s yours, so don’t think I mean anything by that. I just mean that for the first time, I want to have what you two have. I don’t want to be alone anymore.”
Jack watched a small smile formed on his brother's lips as he thought about what he had said. “Well, I guess I’m glad she’s had that sort of effect on you. I’ve been waiting for this day to arrive and I’m happy it’s finally here. We’ll make you into the best version of yourself and then you’ll have women lining up outside your door,” Jake assured him as they arrived at the lobby of the building.
Although Jack didn’t want a line of women at his door, he appreciated his brother’s nice words. He did want to change into the best version of himself, and to find someone he could spend the rest of his life with in the process. He knew this was just the beginning, and he was hopeful that, since he had put his mind and heart in it, things would work out for him.
“Thanks, brother. That’s all I really want.” Jack patted his brother on the back and followed him out of the building. Together, they headed for the local bar, ready to celebrate Jack's new life in style.
Chapter Two, Welcome Home
Caroline waited patiently for Jake to come home, but when she still hadn't heard from him an hour after his workday had finished, concern began creeping in. It wasn’t like him, not anymore at least, to not show up on time. They had gotten into a pattern, and he followed her schedule to a T. She didn’t want to think that the worst had happened, so she let two hours pass before she even considered calling him. She didn’t want to seem like a needy girlfriend.
“Where are you?” she asked when Jake answered his phone. She could hear loud music pumping in the background as well as people shouting over each other. She knew before he even replied that he was at a bar of some sort. He wasn’t the type to let an after-work drink turn into a full blown night on the town, so she couldn’t understand why, all of a sudden, he’d decided to go out. But, when she heard Jack asking who was on the phone, she knew it must’ve been his idea.
“I’m just out with Jack,” he replied. He was shouting over the music and Caroline found her frustration rising.
She had waited up for him, making sure that Johnathan was in bed and fed before she planted herself at the kitchen counter, Jake’s dinner arranged on the table, to await his return. She didn’t want to be the girl that sat around waiting for a guy, and it wasn’t like Jake to put her in that position either. She knew he loved his brother, it had been clear since the beginning, but she didn’t appreciate Jack being a bad influence.
“When will you be home?” Caroline asked, annoyance in her voice.
Jake hadn’t messaged her telling her that he wouldn’t be home for dinner, which was the main reason she was upset. They had formed a well-rounded system that had been working for the last few months of their relationship.
“In about 30 minutes. We’re just wrapping up a drink,” Jake yelled again.
“Okay, be safe,” Caroline said resignedly. Even though she was upset with him, she didn’t think that fighting with him over the phone would end well, and besides, she did want him to be safe.
“I will. I’ll see you soon,” Jake replied before hanging up.
Caroline sat at the kitchen counter for a moment longer before she moved to the living room. She had already eaten dinner with Johnathan, so she decided to sit and watch TV while she waited. It wasn’t as if she wanted to sit around and wait for Jake, but she was a bit lost as to what she should do. With her schedule disrupted, she felt like she was floundering.
; The relationship between Caroline and Jake had quickly evolved into something Caroline had never experienced before. Although she had never expected to meet the love of her life so early in her life, she was glad that she had met Jake. He was such a kind and loving man, always trying to make sure that she was looked after and happy. She knew she couldn't expect him to be perfect all the time, and although she still felt a little frustrated that Jake had not bothered to message her about his plans, Caroline still had to keep in mind how much more forthcoming about his whereabouts Jake had become. She didn’t want him to feel as if she were tracking his every move because that wasn’t the case. She just wanted to know that he was safe. She knew, better than most people, that tragedy could strike out of nowhere.
Caroline felt the familiar tightness in her chest that always accompanied her anxious thoughts when she wasn’t aware of where her loved ones were. She took some deep calming breaths, trying to reassure herself. She didn’t want to be constantly thrown into a state of fear whenever someone didn’t answer a text right away, but she couldn’t help it. It seemed like all she did was worry. Jake was the first man she had ever loved, and if she lost him, she was sure she would never be the same. Of course, this was only her first love, and so much can happen during a person’s lifetime, but at that moment, she could not imagine being with anyone but Jake. She desperately hoped she would never have to find out what life would be like without him.
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