His father blew out a shaky breath. “After she died, I couldn’t get past the fact that if I’d just pushed more, your mom would still be here.”
Jack let that drift in his mind, but it wouldn’t settle. And as much as he resented this man, he couldn’t let that lie burden him. “I don’t buy that.” He shook his head. “I’m angry at how you handled things, but I don’t think her death was your fault. That was her. That was the illness. Hell, you tried.”
“That’s what my counselor tells me. We’re working on that.”
Bullshit! “Why the hell are you consumed with something you had no control over, when you should be sorry for how you screwed up with us?”
“I am sorry. I did screw things up. Screwed up in so many ways. I just wanted to wipe the pain away from you kids. The pain and guilt that smothered me. I thought if we could start new, without reminders all around us, we could put what happened behind us.”
Jack watched his father, the grief on his face. With the sick world they’d lived in, trying to repress every thought about their mother, he’d never realized the extent of his father’s grief. “But didn’t you eventually see that running away from the pain only made things worse for us?”
“At the time, I was blind to most everything except for keeping us all fed and clothed. And after a while, it just became our way of life.”
The honesty sat heavy between them. “Son, I’m sorry for how I handled that. For hiding the woman who was, who is, such a part of all of us. I’m sorry I didn’t celebrate all the good things she did for us.” He blew out a deep breath. “And I’m sorry I made you a runner.”
That jerked Jack out of his sympathy. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“You’ve been gone for ten years. You haven’t lived in the same place for more than two years. You leave before you can make a connection.”
“That’s—” Jack didn’t want to acknowledge the truth, but he couldn’t deny it. “That may have been true, but I’m trying to change. I need to. That’s why I asked you to meet me today. Because I’d rather face the hell this city reminds me of than lose something very good in my world.”
“I’d like to help you face that hell.” His father smiled gently. “Even if the hell is me.”
Jack gazed at the man he’d resented for so long. He was just a man who’d loved a woman and tried to help his family survive a horrific tragedy. He’d handled it the worst way possible, but his intentions had been good. The knowledge eased some of the weight he’d carried for so long. There were scars that would never fade, but maybe he didn’t need to ignore them.
He studied his father staring out over the water. The man looked tired but at peace. The image gave him hope. “What do you have to drink?”
His father smiled. “Root beer.”
“Still your favorite?”
Handing one to Jack, he said, “Used to be yours, too.”
Jack shrugged and screwed off the cap. “It’s been a long time.”
“Well, then, here’s to good things from the old days.” He tapped his bottle to Jack’s and took a drink.
He looked at his dad, and the man gave him a wink, as if daring him. Jack lifted his bottle. “I can drink to that.”
An hour later, Jack was back in his car, calling the head of Gridion real estate. “I need info on the Travis property . . . I know, but things have changed. What’s a competitive offer? One that’s going to grab her attention . . . I realize that, but this needs to go to the top of the list. I need the information by tomorrow . . . Great. Owe you, Jim.”
Jack pulled out of the park with a shit-eating grin. “Kate, Kate, Kate. Let’s hope Miss Travis finds me as charming as you do.”
Chapter 35
Kate sat on Jack’s lap and fed him a jalapeño potato chip. Life was fucking good. He immediately choked.
“Damn.” He took a sip of iced tea. “These are hotter than the ones from Vince’s Deli.”
“I know. I love them. The heat’s a great contrast to the pimento cheese.” She took a bite of her sandwich. “But Vince’s makes a better sweet tea.”
“Definitely. Think they’d deliver if we just ordered tea?”
“The way you tip, I’m guessing they’d deliver salt.” She giggled, which demanded another kiss.
In the last weeks, Jack had probably tipped every deliveryman in downtown Austin. He and Kate continued their lunch dates in his office. Kate’s desire to keep their relationship private made the “nooners” their only option. He hoped to change that real soon.
Much to Jack’s surprise and relief, Mrs. Travis had agreed to sell in their first round of negotiations. The official announcement would be made on the seventeenth, but he’d told Kate this morning. Thus, the celebratory pimento cheese. From the moment he’d put the ball in motion, Jack had never questioned his decision on Austin. As he watched Kate devour her sandwich, he traced his fingers over her shoulder down to her bare breast. She squirmed on his lap.
“Stop that. I’m hungry, and you should probably get in the shower. Didn’t you say you had a meeting at one?”
“I postponed it when you called and said you could do lunch.”
She sat down her sandwich and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love to do lunch with you.” Another giggle, another kiss. When he pulled away, her face radiated joy. It gave him the confidence he needed for what he was about to say.
“Kate, I think it’s time I meet your kids.” He could feel her body tense. “I want to meet your kids.” He looked into her eyes, hoping she would see how serious he was about this step. What it said about his feelings for her and the possibility of a future together.
She was quiet for what seemed like an eternity. He knew that for Kate to allow such a meeting, she would be dropping more of her boundaries with him, something that did not come easy for her. He knew she would never allow him to meet her children if she didn’t envision a future with him. She smiled, her eyes full of trust. “I think that would be nice.”
Jack wasn’t prepared for the effect of her words. He hadn’t realized how much he wanted her commitment. He kissed her tenderly, sealing the covenant of this step in their relationship.
Kate sat up, all business. “We’ll have to take it slow, okay?”
Jack chuckled. “Slow as you want.” Even when taking steps forward, Kate would always be reticent. He didn’t care. She could take all the time she wanted as long as she was moving toward a future with him.
The process was slow and steady. They started with a day of sailing with Peter and Maggie. A cookout with Sue and Dean followed. Then there were dinners out and movies.
Kate appreciated Jack’s concerted efforts with her kids, but she respected him for not groveling, trying to buy their good graces. It was important that they understood who he was, not a salesman or Santa Clause. She knew that with time they would come to like him.
One evening, when Kate and the kids were having a rare, quiet dinner at home, Charlie asked, “Is Jack your boyfriend?” She almost choked on her tea.
“Well . . . we’ve been spending time together. And I like him. Do you?”
“Yeah.” Charlie smiled. “He’s fun. He plays chess and said we could play a game sometime.”
“So you are dating,” Madeline stated abruptly.
Kate looked down at her plate and attempted to cut her pork chop. She finally set down her silverware and looked at Madeline. “I’ve been seeing Jack.” Kate hesitated. “Yes, I guess you could say we’re dating. How do you feel about that?”
“Do you see him when we’re not around?” Madeline asked, avoiding her mother’s question.
“We have lunch together sometimes.” And screw our brains out.
“Cool,” Charlie said. Kate was relieved to hear excitement in his voice. “Can he come over here for dinner?”
“Yes. I think he’d like that.”
“Great.” Charlie smacked his hands on the table. “Then we can play chess. Do you think he’s as good as I
am?”
“I don’t know,” Kate said while looking at Madeline. “We’ll find out.”
Madeline didn’t look up from her plate.
“Madeline, what are you thinking?”
Her daughter refused to look up for the longest time. When she finally did, she asked, “I’m full. May I be excused?”
Kate sighed. One out of two wasn’t bad.
“Can I go to my room now?” Her voice was harsh, but Kate heard the hurt.
Kate didn’t push it. “Sure.”
Despite Madeline’s resistance, Jack started spending more time with them. Unfortunately, their gatherings seemed to push her daughter further away.
Charlie, on the other hand, fell head over heels for Jack. It broke Kate’s heart to realize how desperate her young son had been for a man’s attention. Peter had done his best trying to meet those needs for his nephew, but it could never be enough. Jack made an effort to build a relationship with Charlie, and her boy thrived on the attention, which only strengthened Kate’s feelings for the man.
When they were alone one night, sitting on the swing on her back porch, Kate brought this up to Jack.
“Charlie’s quite taken with you. I think it may be hero worship.”
“He’s a good kid.” He kissed her temple. “You’ve done an amazing job with him.”
“Thank you. I appreciate how much attention you give him. It means the world to me.”
“Come here.” Jack pulled her back in the swing and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “So how are things on the Madeline front? Any hope?”
Kate sighed. “It is what it is. I’m not going to push her, and I appreciate that you don’t either. I admire your wisdom.”
“It’s experience. Growing up with three sisters, I learned real fast you handle girls at this age with kid gloves. It’s just going to take some time.” He lifted her chin so she’d have to face him. “Don’t give up, okay?”
Kate nodded, hopeful in his confidence.
One night, after an extremely uncomfortable exchange between her daughter and Jack, in which Madeline refused to acknowledge his question and walked out on him, Kate decided it was time to put her foot down. She went to her daughter’s room and walked in, not bothering to knock.
“I will not tolerate you being rude to Jack.”
Madeline was sitting on her bed and refused to look at her mother. Kate walked over and lifted her daughter’s chin. “You will treat him with respect, do you understand?”
Madeline looked at her mother with a scornful face. “All you care about is Jack. You don’t care about the rest of us. You don’t even think of Daddy anymore.” Tears started building in her eyes. “How can you just forget about Daddy? Don’t you miss him?” She rolled over and sobbed into her pillow.
Tears burned in Kate’s eyes as she looked down at her daughter, looking so hurt, so little. She gently stroked her back and was grateful Madeline didn’t push her away.
“Honey, I loved your father.” It was difficult for Kate to say, knowing what she did, but this was about Madeline.
“He was the best father in the world, and I will always love him for that. I will never forget about him. Never.”
Madeline rolled over, looking at her with red eyes. “Then how can you like Jack? You can’t love Dad and like Jack, too.”
Kate grabbed a tissue from the nightstand and wiped her daughter’s tears. “You’re wrong, baby. What I feel for Jack has nothing to do with your father. Just because I loved your father doesn’t mean I can’t lo . . . like Jack.”
It was at that moment the truth hit Kate. She was in love with Jack. Thank God, she hadn’t said it in front of her daughter, but she was screaming it inside her head and her heart. She loved Jack.
Since he’d moved to Austin, there was no control for her floodgate of emotions. She’d felt it for some time but wouldn’t admit it to herself or to him. She realized it was her one last attempt at protecting herself, which was ridiculous. Whether voiced or not, the feeling was there. If things ended, the pain would be there.
But when she was with Jack, she felt they’d never end. That’s why it was so important for her kids to make a connection. It was a must if there was to be a future.
“Madeline, just give him a chance. He’s a good man. He wants to be your friend.”
Madeline jerked up and walked to her door. Her innocence from before was replaced with a look of anguish. “I don’t care what he wants. I don’t care about him. You can do what you want, but you won’t make me like him . . . ever!” She stormed into the bathroom and locked the door. Kate didn’t bother to follow.
“Just give it some time,” Kate said to no one but herself.
Chapter 36
“Just shoot me now,” Kate whispered to Jack as they stood in line for the Raging, Rabid, Rickety River, whatever-the-hell-it-was-called ride. It was Labor Day weekend, and they’d been “blessed” with a recording-breaking heat wave.
“Wait until you get on the boat,” Jack said, rubbing her shoulders. “You’ll love it. Charlie swears it’s the best thing ever created.” He kissed the top of her head.
“Thanks for the massage,” Kate said, stepping out of his grasp. “But I can barely handle my own body heat right now.” She looked over at her kids, playing games on her and Jack’s cell phones. The forty-minute wait didn’t faze them. “Tell me one more time why we’re here?”
“Because Charlie says Six Flags is the place to be.” He lowered his voice. “And Madeline actually seemed interested when the idea was brought up.”
That was enough to win over Kate. Madeline and Jack were far from being bosom buddies, but there’d been a marked improvement in their relationship over the last three weeks. Madeline didn’t sing his praises or hug him every time she saw him as Charlie did, but they talked, and sometimes, when the stars were aligned, Jack could make her laugh.
Kate moved to the wooden fence that corralled them into their line and leaned against the top rail, taking some weight off her feet. Jack followed.
“I had a conference call with the board yesterday.” Kate’s stomach lurched as if she’d just shot down a roller coaster. Jack had completed close to everything he needed to for the Gridion start-up. She’d dreaded the idea of him going back to San Francisco.
“I’m moving to Austin.”
She searched his eyes, wanting to confirm she’d heard him correctly. When he smiled, she knew she had. “Oh my God, Jack. For good?” He nodded. Kate’s heart plummeted down another hill. This time she wasn’t scared. “That’s fantastic!” She hugged his neck, holding tight, no longer aware of the heat.
“Best decision I’ve ever made,” Jack breathed into her ear.
She finally let go but grabbed his hand, unwilling to break all contact. “What did the board say? You do still have a job, right?”
Jack pushed a curl behind her ear. “Board was fine with it. I’ve been working out of here for two months now, and nothing’s suffered as a result. I’ll still be travelling on a regular basis, but Austin will be my home base.”
“Home, huh?” She couldn’t suppress her smile.
“Home.”
They spent the rest of the wait holding hands, stealing kisses, and sharing glances that spoke volumes. This was really happening.
“Mooooom!” Madeline screamed while running up to the bench on which Kate was waiting. Jack was close behind with Charlie on his back. He was leaning forward to keep the boy from falling since his little arms barely made it around Jack’s neck.
Kate shot up. “What’s wrong?” She looked over her daughter’s body. “And what’s on your shirt?”
“Charlie puked all over me! It’s disgusting. I’m going to be sick, Mom.” With that warning, she leaned over to wretch, but nothing came up, thank God. Jack didn’t know how much vomit he could handle in one day.
Kate situated her daughter on the bench and then headed over to Charlie. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry, baby.” Jack could honestly say he lo
ved the boy, but he’d never been more ready for Kate to take over.
It was his own damn fault. The entire time they’d been in line for the Superman roller coaster, Madeline had warned him that Charlie couldn’t handle it, that he’d chicken out, that he didn’t do big rides. But Charlie had been chomping at the bit, and Jack had wanted to support the boy’s courage.
After the ride, when Charlie had vomited on Madeline, he made a note to remember how wise the young woman was. When he’d sat Charlie on a bench and the boy had leaned over and vomited in Jack’s lap, he’d made a note to remember that kids aren’t always done after one puke.
“I did it, Mom.” Charlie’s voice was weak, but Jack knew the boy was smiling. “I rode the Superman.”
“I can see that.” She sat on the bench and motioned for Jack to bring her son over. He placed the boy in her arms and then stretched his back. “Oh, Jack.” She’d obviously seen his shorts. She looked up at him and then started to laugh. Jack didn’t see the humor and neither did Madeline.
“It isn’t funny, Mom. I’m covered in puke. What are we supposed to do now?”
Kate looked up at Jack with the same question in her eyes. He pulled out his phone.
“I’ll handle it.”
Within two hours, they were poolside at the Hyatt Hillside Resort, freshly showered and sporting new and expensive swimsuits from the shop in the lobby. No doubt about it, money was nice, especially after a vomit crisis.
Kate took a sip of the world’s greatest margarita and waved to the kids as they floated by in the lazy river. Both were smiling and splashing, no sign of post-traumatic syndrome.
“You’re my hero.” Kate reached over and held Jack’s hand.
Jack turned his head to look at her. “I don’t know about that. Charlie’s the one who survived Superman. You’ve got to give the kid credit, he never screamed for help, never cried, just vomited.”
Kate started laughing. “Jack, if you could’ve seen your face when you walked up. And your lap covered in . . . ooh.”
Then He Showed Up Page 25
