Reunion for the First Time

by K. M. Daughters

  Resting her head against Jack’s chest, the solidity of him, she closed her eyes and let him take her wherever he chose. Grateful for her bodyguard, who fortified her with his strength, she was safe.

  When he whispered, “Is tonight going the way you wanted?” His warm breath on her hair sent shivers coursing down her body.

  “Yes, so far it’s perfect.” She looked up at him and savored the special intimacy of the slow dance. His deep blue eyes smoldered with an emotion she couldn’t read.

  “Wally seems to be coming around,” his voice gruff.

  “He does seem to be interested in me.”

  She rested her head against Jack’s chest again.

  “Want him to make his move?” Jack shifted his hand higher on her back as he turned her in the dance.

  “I suppose.” Curious about Jack’s intentions, she raised her head. His eyes blazed with a fierce and seductive power.

  His hand never left her back and pushed her closer to him. Heat pulsed from him, spiking her heartbeat. He bent his head and with one fluid motion tightened his hold even more. His soft lips pressed against hers.

  Embarrassed from the public display in the middle of a crowded dance floor, she wanted to pull away. His lips teased, the kiss deepened and the impulse to disengage evaporated. Lizzie didn’t care that people swirled near and she didn’t hold back. She couldn’t. Her lips answered his.

  Jack slowly ended the tantalizing connection. He continued dancing; still holding her, but he kept his distance from her body now and looked away from her over her head.

  She reeled and throbbed with the reaction he had stirred in her. “Jack…”

  “Ssshhhh. Here he comes.”

  “What?” Her mind didn’t seem to be working. “Here who comes?”

  “Wally will be cutting in, in three, two…” His voice a low whisper, his breath sent more tingles from her ear down her spine.

  Wallace tapped on Jack’s shoulder, and he let her go. Jack, straight-faced, stepped away and allowed Wallace to take his place. Lizzie awkwardly linked her hand in Wallace’s, so smooth and unlike Jack’s, and continued to dance. She didn’t feel safe at all anymore.

  ****

  Jack walked off the dance floor back toward the banquet table where Kay sat alone. Her shoes off, she had propped her outstretched legs on a chair.

  He sat next to her, took a swig of warm beer from a bottle on the table, leaned back in his seat and watched the dancers.

  “Nice kiss out there, Jack.” Kay’s eyes scanned the dance floor. She sipped some water. “Didn’t seem like the lady minded being kissed by a stand-in.”

  “It worked, didn’t it?” Jack shifted, restless in his seat and took another gulp of beer. “Prescott couldn’t get over there fast enough.”

  “True.” Kay paused. “Mind taking a little walk with me? I could use some air.”

  She shifted her legs to the floor with a little grunt. “I’m not even going to try to put these shoes back on. I hope the stones on the patio aren’t too cold.”

  Jack stood, hand outstretched toward Kay. She clasped it, and he boosted her upright then offered her his arm. She rested her hand in the crook of his elbow as they walked through open French doors to the patio. Outside, she leaned on the guardrail and he sidled next to her, the metal cool underneath his elbows.

  Water lapped twenty feet below. She shivered next to him in the bracing breeze off Boston Harbor. He removed his jacket and draped it around her shoulders.

  “Thanks, Jack.”

  He gazed at the harbor lights. The planes landed and took off at Logan airport. The airport water-taxis docked and pushed off the hotel pier. The night hummed, and he tasted sea salt on his lips.

  “I introduced Lizzie and Wallace,” Kay broke the silence. “I still feel guilty about it.

  “I knew him in prep school. Our families hung in the same social circles. You know, Mayflower descendants and all that? Anyway, Wallace was a bit of a heartthrob our freshman year: rich, smart, and good-looking. Lizzie was so thrilled to meet him. She’s always been a knockout, so Wallace made out in the deal, too.”

  “I’d say Wally was the only one who made out on the deal,” Jack opined heavy with sarcasm.

  Kay’s hearty laughter was contagious. “You don’t like him at all, do you, Jack?”

  He shook his head.

  “You’re gonna like him even less in a minute.” Kay heaved a breath and continued, “Liz fell fast and hard. She never looked at another boy the entire four years they were together. Wish I could say the same for Wallace. But she was oblivious to his tomcatting. Didn’t even believe me when I told her. Caused quite a rift between us for a while, actually. During our senior year Lizzie told me that she and Wallace were making wedding plans. She was so excited. The eve of our graduation Liz lost her virginity to him.”

  Taken aback, Jack turned his head toward Kay and touched her arm. “Kay?”

  “I know, I know. I shouldn’t be talking about Lizzie’s personal life this way, but bear with me okay?” Kay took another deep breath. “She woke up the next morning, and she was alone. She was confused, but so happy about what they’d shared. Figured she’d see him at the graduation ceremony. She didn’t…because he was on a plane to Europe.”

  Jack stood back from the railing and turned to face her. “He just left her flat?”

  Kay looked into Jack’s eyes. “Yes. I did some sleuthing and we didn’t know that until a couple of weeks later, but yes. Last night was the first time she’s seen him or spoken to him since graduation eve.”

  “Excuse me, Kay.” Jack turned back toward the banquet hall. “I need to cut back in on Wallace Prescott the Third.”

  “Wait, Jack, there’s more.” She tugged him by the hand. “Lizzie has the chronic habit of forgetting her cell phone. Have you noticed that?”

  “No,” he responded with a headshake.

  “Well, she forgot it again this weekend. I don’t need a license in psychology to figure out why. The same morning that Wallace left her, she received a call on her cell phone. It was the police from the scene of a car crash. Her parents were both dead at that scene. They were on their way to their only child’s graduation ceremony.”

  “Jesus.” Jack leaned hard against the railing and pushed his hand through his hair.

  She patted his forearm. “We had an apartment our senior year, and Lizzie stayed there with me that summer. I was getting married to Mick that September, and she didn’t want to go home to an empty house in New Jersey. I think she secretly hoped that Wallace would return, and they would pick up where they left off. He returned all right. Two months later. That roughly coincided with the splashy announcement that he was marrying what turned out to be his first and most expensive wife. Lizzie bolted. That’s when she joined the Peace Corps.”

  Jack rubbed his eyes. “Why are you telling me all this, Kay?”

  “Because of that kiss I saw you plant on her.”

  He turned toward her and contemplated her face. Her penetrating, hazel eyes searched his.

  “Because I love her, Jack. Because she has never been with anyone else since graduation eve.” Her eyes hardened with determination. “Because she kissed you back.”

  Jack tensed. “You think I’m the knight in shining armor type? Is that what you’re asking me to do? Rescue her?”

  Kay smiled. “Yeah, I am. Just for tonight. Rescue her from Wallace. He never deserved her.”

  The simple truth. Jack relaxed. “I repeat. Every man in this room is jealous of Mickey Lynch.” He hugged her close. “I’ve got to go cut in on Wally now.”

  He didn’t need to. When he and Kay returned to the table, Lizzie and Mick were laughing together. Jack didn’t see Prescott in the vicinity and didn’t ask where he’d gone. Didn’t care. Protective, impressed with this accomplished, complicated woman, he couldn’t understand how any man could turn his back on her without a word. If Beth wanted to dance the rest of the evening, he’d be the only man to whirl
her around the floor.

  “Hey, Beth.” Jack pulled out a chair for Kay and she plopped down with a satisfied sigh. “Want another drink?”

  Beth held up an empty wine goblet. “A glass of merlot, please?”

  “Sure. Mick, ready for another beer?”

  “I’ll come with you,” Mick volunteered.

  ****

  “I’m having the best time. I’m so glad I let you talk me into coming to the reunion.” Lizzie squeezed Kay’s hand, bright-eyed and animated. “Wallace apologized to me, Kay.”

  “That’s good, sweetie.” Kay furrowed her brow.

  “He explained that he was so young then, so scared by how intense our love was. He felt hemmed in, so he ran away. He claims he’s regretted it every day since.”

  “I’ll bet he has.”

  “He asked if he could call me when he comes to Chicago on business trips.”

  “Are you going to let him? Honestly, Liz, I thought you would cut Wallace off at the knees at this reunion.”

  “I gave him my number.”

  Kay blew out air in frustration.

  “Don’t worry, Kay. I’m not sure I want to see him again socially. I have to think about it.” Lizzie smoothed the skirt of her dress with her hands, a pleased smile curling her lips. “It feels good to be the one who can say yes or no.”

  ****

  Jack came back with Mick, drinks in hand, and Beth flashed him a wide smile as she accepted her glass of wine.

  The evening wound down and the number of guests dwindled, gone to relieve babysitters, to party at more lively bars or to get out of stiff formal clothes and put their feet up at home.

  Jack asked Beth for the last dance, and Mick asked his wife. They danced near each other laughing at Kay’s jokes. After the music stopped, Mick shook his hand, and Kay hugged Jack for a long time.

  “I’m glad we met, Jack. I hope we’ll see each other again some time,” Kay professed.

  Jack kissed Kay’s cheek. “It would be my pleasure. Bye, Mick.”

  “Take care of yourself, Jack. And our golf hustler.”

  Beth curled near him in the limo and drifted to sleep minutes after the car pulled away. Jack stared out the window and somehow resisted touching the soft woman beside him while mulling the evening over in his mind.

  She’s like a sister to Charlie. Hell, that would make her my sister, too.

  He’d done a nice woman a favor. Good. She deserved it.

  Nothing more going on here. At least for her. This was all about Wally for her.

  Damn if that didn’t irk him. Wally had taken her heart and then took off.

  Dad, Charlie, Beth.

  Jack wagged his head back and forth.

  Not me.

  She looked groggy as he accompanied her to her door. He took the plastic key card she pulled from her purse and opened the door for her. Turning toward him she stood on her toes, put her arms around his neck and hugged him. Her sweet flowery scent and silky skin drove a spike of desire into his gut.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jack, for everything.”

  To disengage and tamp down temptation, he removed her arms from around his neck, stepped back from her and held her hands, his arms outstretched. “You’re welcome, Beth. I enjoyed it. Sleep well.”

  “You, too.”

  He released her hands and strolled down the hall.

  Her footsteps thudded behind him. “Jack, wait.” He turned around and faced her. “The car will be out front at eight a.m. to take us to the airport. The concierge advised me to leave a little early because of all the construction in the city. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “I’m sleeping in. My flight doesn’t leave until Monday evening. Another reason I agreed to come to Boston this weekend is for a business meeting I had scheduled here for Monday morning.”

  “Oh. OK.” She stood there looking uncertain.

  “So, safe flight, Beth. I hope things work out for you and Wally.”

  ****

  “Right. Thanks.” Suddenly weak, almost sick, Lizzie didn’t want to say goodbye. More than grateful, she genuinely enjoyed Jack’s company and really enjoyed that kiss. “Uh, have a good business meeting. And…a safe flight back,” she said, at a loss to say something more meaningful.

  She stepped out of his way and forced out, “Good bye, Jack.”

  “Bye, Beth. Take care.”

  She backtracked slowly down the hall. When she reached her door, she turned and watched him walk away, her spirits sinking. “Jack!”

  He stopped and faced her. “Yeah.”

  “Do you think we could get together in Chicago for coffee or something? To thank you for helping me?”

  His face lit with a slow grin. “Yeah. That would be nice. And I owe you a dinner. I’ll call you when I get back.”

  “Great. See ya.” Lizzie closed the door and leaned against it. She kicked her shoes off into the room and sighed.

  Chapter Eight

  Lizzie piled freshly folded clothes on the bed. Amused, she watched Marty burrow under the neat stacks and knock them on the floor.

  “You monkey.” Lizzie scratched the dog behind the ears. “I know you don’t want me to go again, but I have to.”

  She had overworked her little stackable washer and drier by laundering every practical piece of clothing she owned. A three-week stint in Niger involved plenty of packing smarts.

  T-shirts and jeans went directly into the open suitcase on the floor. She saved space in her backpack for her cameras. Lizzie hated packing, appreciating the irony that her beloved career involved it so much. She would much rather concentrate on readying her photo equipment than worrying about what she’d wear.

  Honored and excited that UNICEF had contacted her about the project, she looked forward to bringing international attention to famished children in crisis. Her heart wrenched at the thought of the suffering due to drought and locust infestations. If she could help the little ones she would do anything, but thousands of children were starving.

  Zipping the suitcase closed, she dragged it to the front door and plucked her ringing cell phone off the kitchen counter with her free hand.

  “Hello, Elizabeth.”

  A burst of elation bloomed near her heart when she recognized Wallace’s clipped voice.

  “Wallace what a nice surprise.” She wasn’t sure when she gave him her number that he was serious about calling.

  “Elizabeth. We didn’t have enough time together at the reunion. I have a way to remedy that. I will be in Chicago on business next weekend and would like to take you out to dinner. How does Saturday at seven sound?”

  “It sounds perfect, Wallace, but I’m sorry I can’t accept the invitation. I won’t be in Chicago next weekend.”

  “Why not? We agreed to see each other.”

  She frowned at his reprimanding tone. Did he honestly think she’d put her life on hold waiting for him to come to town? “I’m leaving for Africa tomorrow morning. I’ll be gone for at least three weeks.”

  “That is way too long. Well. That is unacceptable.”

  Of course he expected her to put her life on hold. She always had before when they were together. Well that was then. “Excuse me?”

  “I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I was hoping to see you sooner. You are quite the world traveler.”

  Her pulse slowed some at his much more acceptable tone. “Yes, I guess I am. I’ve traveled a lot in my work. I’m gone more than I’m home lately. I leave for Niger tomorrow morning and have a stopover in Boston. Then I’m gone for the duration.”

  “A stopover in Boston? How long is your stop over?”

  “I have to check my ticket, but if I remember correctly, I’ll be at Logan for about four hours arriving around noon. I made plans—”

  “Perfect.” Her mouth hung open as he cut her off, and still he wouldn’t let her get a word in. “Meet me in the baggage claim area. I will take care of everything. I look forward to seeing you again Elizabeth
.”

  She stared at the phone. Did he ask her or did he order her?

  “Uh…” The dial tone rang in her ear.

  Lizzie hung up the phone and clapped a hand against her forehead. Are you kidding me? She couldn’t decide if she was more irritated at him for blatantly taking her acceptance for granted or at herself for being eager to see him again despite it all.

  Shaking off her ambiguous feelings, she went to her closet. She had to rethink her travel outfit. Loose sweats and a comfortable hoodie wouldn’t cut it for a meeting with Wallace. And Kay would give her grief when she cancelled their lunch date.

  ****

  The travel gods smiled on Lizzie the next day. Her plane touched down in Boston and taxied to the gate a full twenty minutes ahead of schedule. Butterflies danced in her stomach as she grabbed her backpack from the overhead compartment. The notion that she and Wallace would be alone for the first time in ten years filled her with trepidation.

  Lizzie didn’t know him at all. She had changed so much in the years since they had been together. How had he changed? Would they still have anything common? Did they ever have anything in common? Questions preoccupied her as she followed the crowd to baggage claim.

  Then, she saw him. He wore dark wash jeans and a white button down shirt, his arms full of yellow roses. Her favorite. He remembered. So extravagant, too. She could only enjoy them for the few hours before her next flight. And he’d bought them for her anyway.

  “Elizabeth. Wonderful. You are early.” He kissed her cheek.

  “Oh, Wallace, how beautiful.” She sighed and burrowed her nose in the huge arrangement of flowers, inhaling their sweet aroma. “Thank you for remembering.”

  Grinning at him, she wished the smile he returned warmed his eyes. Delight at his sentimentality extinguished, replaced by self-doubt. What am I doing with him? Her stomach churned and her palms went clammy.

  He hugged her, his hands on her backpack, and crushed the flowers between their chests. The awkward embrace ended. He loomed taller in her memory, just average now.

  “Come.” He turned and walked away.

  A shimmer of resentment passed through her at his implied expectation that she would follow, obedient. She double-stepped to keep up.