by Sandi Lynn
I had called my mom earlier to let her know that Jack would be coming over. She seemed thrilled because she wanted to thank him for taking care of Hope, plus she was dying to meet him.
As we sat at the table eating dinner, Nick and my mom talked to Jack as if they had known him for years. It was weird but nice to see at the same time. When dinner was over, Nick, Hope, and Jack went to the living room while my mom and I cleaned up the kitchen.
“He’s such a nice man. Nothing like you made him out to be.”
“As long as you don’t work for him, he is, I guess.”
“He adores Hope.”
“I know he does.”
“So there’s really nothing going on between the two of you?”
“No. There isn’t. Jack and I are just friends. In fact, I’ve joined a dating site.”
“What? I don’t think that’s safe, Lorelei.”
“Gotta get out there and start dating again, Mom, and it’s hard to meet someone when you just can’t randomly go out because you have a kid to take care of.”
“We can babysit if you want to go out. You know that.”
“I know, but I’d feel guilty just going out for the hell of it to try and meet a guy.”
Hope ran into the kitchen. “Come on, Mommy. It’s time to go trick or treating!” She smiled.
I put on my coat and the three of us headed out the door. As Hope was busy running up to people’s houses, Jack and I stood on the sidewalk and waited for her.
“Tell me why you told me you hated kids?” I blurted out.
He glanced over at me for a moment and then looked straight ahead.
“I don’t hate kids, Lorelei. I don’t know how to explain it. Growing up with Kit was difficult. She blamed us for everything, including the breakup of her first three marriages. When you’ve been told that so many times, you start to believe it. I remember sitting in my room one night and I heard her and Peter, her second husband, arguing. He told her that she should send Coco and me to boarding school because we’d just get in the way of their relationship and things would be better if we weren’t around.”
“That’s awful. She didn’t send you away, did she?”
“No. But she did send us to live with our grandmother for the entire summer after they were married. That was the compromise they made. I always felt like a burden to my mother and her relationships. Peter wasn’t very nice to us. In fact, he hit me a couple of times and told me that Coco and I were ruining their relationship and he wished we’d just leave. Let’s just say that him and alcohol were best friends.”
“Oh my God, Jack. How old were you?”
“I was twelve at the time. My mother blamed us for my dad leaving because she couldn’t accept the fact that he couldn’t handle her career. Nothing was ever her fault. So when Peter left her, of course she blamed us. She said we were disobedient and she should have listened to him and sent us away. I hated myself back then because she was my mother and I believed her.”
“You don’t believe that now, do you?” I asked.
“No. She was to blame for all of her failed marriages. But, in the back of my mind, every time I saw a child, I would think of my childhood and the things that were told to me.”
“Did you ever seek therapy?”
He chuckled. “No. But maybe I should have. What about you?”
“My father passed away when I was ten. My mom met Nick when I was fifteen and she married him when I was sixteen.”
“He seems like a great guy,” Jack said.
“He is and he’s done so much for us. It wasn’t until after Brett’s funeral that I told them I was pregnant. My mom sat in her rocking chair and cried for hours, but Nick was the voice of reason and told her that we were a family and we’d get through it.”
“I’m really sorry about Hope’s father. I want you to know that.”
“Thanks.” I briefly laid my head on his shoulder.
After walking around a few blocks, Hope told us she was tired and wanted to go home. Jack picked her up and carried her back to my parents’ house. Watching him with her was bittersweet. After checking all of Hope’s candy and eating a couple of pieces, we said goodbye to my parents and headed back to my apartment.
“Do you have any plans this weekend?” I asked him with the hope that he didn’t and maybe the three of us could do something.
“Actually, I have a date tomorrow night.”
“Oh.” My heart started to ache. “That’s good.”
“What about you?”
“No plans really. Just hanging out with Hope.”
He didn’t say a word and neither did I after hearing he was going on a date. Tony pulled up to my building and Jack carried Hope up to the apartment and laid her in bed.
“Thanks again for coming tonight. I know it meant a lot to Hope.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for inviting me. Have a good weekend, Lorelei, and I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Good night, Jack.”
I shut the door and leaned against it. The thought of him going on a date tomorrow night made me sick and it made me angry. I should have been the one he was taking on a date, but I blew that chance.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Lorelei
It was Monday morning and the same routine started all over again. Walking into Jack’s office, I set down his coffee cup.
“Good morning, Lorelei. How was your weekend?”
“It was great. Hope and I did some shopping. We had a great time,” I lied. I wasn’t about to tell him that I stayed in all weekend and wallowed in self-pity.
“Good. I’m glad to hear it.”
“How was your date?”
“It was good. We had a great time.”
My blood was boiling because I was positive he slept with her. The thought of him with another woman made me want to crawl in a corner and hide. I couldn’t help the next words that flew out of my mouth.
“Do you need me to run to the store and buy you some more condoms?”
He chuckled. “No. That’s okay. I’m still set from when you bought me the ten boxes.”
“Should I send this woman some flowers from you?”
“No. Why would I send her flowers?”
“I don’t know. I was just asking. Usually, if a date goes great, the guy sends flowers.”
“He does?”
“Well, at least they do in the movies.”
He laughed. “I don’t need you to do any of those things, but when the stores open, I do need you to make a run to Banana Republic. I’ll make a list of the things I need you to pick up.”
“Okay. By the way, did your mother ever return from Paris?”
“She decided she was going to stay a couple of extra weeks. It seems she has met someone there.”
“Good for her.” I nodded my head and walked out of his office.
A couple of hours later, Stella called.
“Hello.”
“Hey, you. So don’t hate me.”
“What did you do?” I sighed.
“Promise me you won’t hate me first.”
“I won’t hate you, Stella.”
“So, I may have logged into your Match account and made a few tweaks to your profile.”
“WHAT! Why would you do that and how did you know my password?”
“You use the same password for everything. Just listen. This guy came up who I think is perfect for you.”
“Go on.”
“He’s twenty-eight and has never been married. He’s in business management, and wait for the best part: he loves kids. I think you should at least meet him, Lorelei.”
“I don’t know, Stella,” I whined.
“Listen, you said it was time to get out into the dating world. So here’s your opportunity. He seems like a great guy. Fun and outgoing.”
“How do you know this?”
“We may have talked online a bit and I pretended I was you.”
“STELLA!”
“He c
an’t wait to meet you on Friday night.”
“OH MY GOD! You set up a date?”
“Yeah, I did. Remember, don’t hate me. I love you and you’re like my sister.”
I couldn’t believe she set up a date for me with a random stranger online. But then again, that was Stella. I didn’t know if I could go through with it.
“I don’t know, Stella. I’m scared.”
“He’s such a romantic. He wants to meet on the top deck of the Empire State Building. Somewhere public where there’s a lot of people, so you’ll feel more comfortable. I told him that was very sweet of him.”
“Thanks. I appreciate you telling him that. How the fuck will I know who I’m looking for? And by the way, what does this guy look like?”
“He’ll be the tall, dark and handsome one holding a single red rose. I already told him yes, so you’re meeting at eight o’clock. The good thing is if you don’t like him or don’t click, you can leave. You don’t have to go to dinner or anything. You can go home and have some time to yourself. Hope is spending the night at my place. Sebastian will be out of town at a bachelor party, so she and I can have a girls’ night together.”
If I didn’t take this chance now, I might never. If Jack could go on a date, then so could I. There was no use sitting around and pining for the man that made it very clear to me that we were just friends.
“Fine. I’ll go. What’s this guy’s name?”
“Yippee! I knew you would. His name is Aiden.”
After hanging up with Stella, I walked into Jack’s office. I was hoping that telling him I was going on a date would infuriate him, but I was wrong.
“It seems I have a date Friday night.”
He looked up at me and smiled. “Good for you, Lorelei. Do I need to have this guy checked out for you?”
“No. That’s okay, Jack.”
“If you change your mind, let me know.” He winked.
Him and his damn winks. They sent flutters to my most sensitive areas.
****
My belly was a nervous wreck as I slipped into my black, spaghetti-strap slim-fit dress. I threw some curls at the ends of my hair and lightly sprayed it.
“Well, how do I look?” I asked Hope, who was sitting on my bed.
“You look beautiful, Mommy. Where are you going again?”
“Just out with a friend. No big deal.”
“Are you going out with Jack?” she asked.
“No, baby. I’m not going out with Jack.”
“When can I see him again?”
“I’ll give him a call over the weekend and see if he wants to hang out.”
“Okay.” She smiled.
I heard the door open, and when I walked out of the bedroom, Stella stopped dead in her tracks.
“Ah. Look at you. You’re gorgeous. Aiden isn’t going to know what hit him.”
“Thanks. I’m still mad at you.”
“No, you’re not. Now get your shoes on and get out of here. You don’t want to be late or the poor guy will think you stood him up.”
I gave Hope a hug and kiss goodbye. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Have fun with Auntie Stella tonight.”
“I will. She’s going to give me a mani/pedi and then teach me the do’s and don’t’s of buying a designer handbag.”
I looked at Stella and rolled my eyes before giving her a kiss on the cheek.
****
I made it to the Empire State Building at approximately seven fifty-five. Taking the elevator up to the top deck, I felt like I was going to throw up. My stomach was twisted and I could feel anxiety kicking in. I took in slow, deep breaths to try and calm myself down. It was ridiculous to be this nervous. He was just another person. We were just two people meeting for the first time. I met people every day and this was no different. So what if he was of the male species? Like Stella said, if I didn’t like him or we didn’t click right away, I could leave. No harm. We’d just part ways as if we had never met. The elevator doors opened, and as I made my way out with the crowd of people, I looked around for the tall, dark, and handsome man with the single red rose. Maybe he stood me up. I could only hope. Suddenly, I heard a low voice from behind.
“Hello, Lorelei.”
I stood frozen in place for a second before turning around. My heart was racing at the speed of light. When I turned around and stared at the man holding a single red rose, I gasped.
“Jack?” I cocked my head. “What are you—”
“I’m your date for tonight and, hopefully, every night.” He smiled.
Tears started to fill my eyes. “How did you—”
He handed me the red rose and then ran his thumb across my cheek.
“I was able to do this with the help of Stella.”
I gulped. “So you’re Aiden? The twenty-eight-year-old business management guy who loves kids?”
“Yeah. Stella came up with that. Are you mad?”
“No. Of course not. I’m relieved you’re not a stranger, but I don’t understand.”
“The only thing you need to understand right now, at this moment, is that I want to be with you and you only.” His blue eyes stared into mine.
“But you said you just wanted to be friends and you were just on a date.”
“I know what I said, but it was all part of the plan, and I never went on any dates. I only led you to believe that so this plan would work.”
“Why did you go through all of this?”
“Because, Lorelei, I wanted us to start over. A brand new beginning. I had already hurt you once and you made that very clear to me. But I promise, if you give me another chance, I’ll never hurt you again. That night I left the penthouse, the night Hope got sick, I went out with someone but only to dinner. After we finished eating, I sent her home and I went and sat in a bar because I couldn’t stop thinking about you. You’re on my mind 24/7 and when I’m not with you, I feel alone. For the first time in my life, I feel alone. All I’m asking is for a second chance to show you that I can be your Prince Charming because, Lorelei, you’re my Cinderella.” He smiled as our eyes stayed locked on each other.
A tear fell from my eye and he gently wiped it away with his thumb. I was stunned but happy beyond words.
“Hi, I’m Lorelei Flynn.” I smiled.
“Hello, Miss Flynn. I’m Jack Sutton.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Jack. I think you should know that if you want a relationship with me, I have a seven-year-old daughter and her name is Hope.”
“You’re in luck because I just so happen to love kids.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Jack
She wrapped her arms around my neck as I pulled her into me. Holding her in my arms felt so good and so right. I broke our embrace and softly brushed my lips against hers, reclaiming what was mine once again.
“So does this mean you’ll date me?” I asked.
“Yes, Jack, I’d love to date you.”
“Thank you, Lorelei. You have no idea how happy you’ve made me.” I held her tight. “Come on; let’s get out of here.”
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” I smiled as I kissed her again and we stepped onto the elevator.
Tony pulled up to The Trump and Lorelei looked at me.
“A hotel on our first date?”
I chuckled. “Actually, I made reservations for dinner at the restaurant in there called Jean Georges.”
“Oh. I thought maybe you booked a suite because I’ll have you know that I don’t put out on the first date.”
“And I, being the gentlemen that I am, would never have expected you to.”
As soon as we were seated inside the restaurant, the blonde-haired waitress walked over.
“Good evening. Welcome to Jean Georges. May I start you off with a drink?”
“We’ll have a bottle of your finest champagne, please.”
“Very good, sir.” She smiled. “Are you celebrating something special tonight?”
“Yes, as a ma
tter of fact, we are. We’re celebrating the first night of a beautiful relationship.” I reached across the table and placed my hand on Lorelei’s.
“Aw, that’s so sweet. I’ll get that champagne right over to you.”
When the champagne arrived, I held up my glass to Lorelei.
“To the new beginning of us. I adore you, Lorelei, and I plan on making you a very happy woman.”
“I adore you too, Jack, and you’ve already made me the happiest woman alive.” She brought her glass to mine.
What Lorelei didn’t know was that I did indeed book a suite. I didn’t plan on having sex with her because I wanted to wait until she was ready. But I did plan on spending the night with her and holding her in my arms. That would be good enough for me right now.
After we finished eating, I got up from the booth and held out my hand to her. Once we entered the lobby of the hotel, I stopped and placed my hands on her waist.
“Listen, I did reserve a suite but not for sex. You need to trust me about that. All I want is to spend the night with you. No sex included. Just the two of us holding each other all night and talking. I will not pressure you into anything you don’t want to do.”
“Couldn’t we have done that at your penthouse?” She smiled.
“We could have, but I thought the suite was a little more on the romantic side. Plus, we’ll be spending a lot of time at my place anyway.”
“Oh. Is that so, Mr. Sutton?”
I pulled her closer to me and kissed her lips. “Yes. That is so, Miss Flynn.”
“Okay. The suite it is.” She smiled.
We took the elevator up to the top floor and stepped inside the suite, which was filled with arrangements of red roses, champagne, and chocolate-dipped strawberries.
“This place is so beautiful,” Lorelei spoke as she smelled the roses sitting on the counter.
“Not as beautiful as you are.” I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind and kissed her cheek.
“Can I pour you a glass of champagne?” I asked.
“No. But you can take me into the bedroom and make love to me,” she spoke as she turned and faced me.
“Are you serious? You aren’t toying with me, are you?”
