by Kit Morgan
“Good morning,” he greeted her as she opened the door.
“Hi.” She motioned him inside and headed for the bedroom. “I’ll just grab my bag.”
“Quite a nice place,” he commented from the other room.
Wendy picked her purse off the bed and returned to the living room. “Thanks. I’ve had it about two years.”
“Is that all?”
Wendy’s cheeks flushed. “You’re still living in your family home, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” he said with a chuckle, “but I own it now.” He came closer and took her hands in his. “Aw, I’ve made you blush.”
“No, Jack, I think this one’s on me. I’m ashamed to say I lived with my father until I got this place.”
“There’s no shame in it. What about your brother – is he still living at home? I imagine your folks have a huge house.”
“Yes, they do. David’s been there off and on over the years – depending on girlfriends. He lived with one for a while, but it didn’t work out.”
“I always liked David,” Jack said as they headed for the door. “I wouldn’t mind seeing him before I go back.”
She smiled. Everyone liked David. “I’ll ask him. I know he was planning on going out of town – some business in New York. I haven’t talked to him for about a week, so I’m not sure if he’s left or not.”
“Well, if he’s in town, it would be nice. Otherwise, don’t worry about it.”
She smiled as they stepped outside. It was nice to know he still liked her brother. At least they’d always gotten along. She locked the door, turned to him and gasped when he took her hand again. “So we’ll do some shopping,” he said, “have some lunch, then I thought we might find a tree lot.”
“Tree lot?” she repeated as she looked at her hand in his.
“Yes.” He led her away. “You don’t have a Christmas tree yet.”
She laughed. “My goodness, no, I don’t. Come to think of it, I never got one last year. I figured, why bother, we always have such a huge one at the house.”
“I think your place would look great with a tree. Do you have any decorations?”
“Afraid not.” She looked away. Why didn’t she? Because Dad told her she didn’t need a tree. She’d be spending Christmas with him anyway … or maybe not. “I think a tree is a great idea. Let’s do it.”
“We’ll find one of those Christmas stores,” he said as they reached the parking lot. “There’s always one somewhere. You need a special ornament to commemorate your first tree, not just the cheap stuff you can get anywhere.”
Unable to help it, Wendy squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back. She studied him. Okay, somewhere between studied and gawked. Either way, she couldn’t take her eyes off him.
“Wendy, what is it?”
The only way to break the spell was to shut her eyes tight. “Nothing.”
“Do you have something in your eye?”
She opened her eyes and laughed. “No, it’s nothing. Let’s go.”
When they got to his rental car he opened the door for her, made sure she was inside and closed it. As he walked around the car she thought of how many times she’d ridden someplace with Bill and he’d never done such things for her. Ever. When she was with Jack, he made her feel cherished. She was beginning to see the many differences between the two men.
When they reached the Galleria and found Missy, their first stop was a candle store she wanted to go to. They each found something they liked, made their purchases and went to the next shop, where Jack went a little wild. “I never could resist chocolate stores,” he explained.
“I can see that,” Wendy remarked at the stack of boxes in his hands. “Please tell me those are Christmas gifts and you don’t plan on eating all of them.”
He laughed. “They are. Don’t worry, I love the stuff, but I could never eat a whole box in one sitting.”
“I’m relieved,” she said. “Now I won’t have visions of driving you to the hospital to get your stomach pumped.”
“Very funny.” He approached the counter, bought his candy, then took her hand as they left. Missy walked behind them, a chocolate sucker in her mouth. “Ah! There, that’s what I’m talking about!” he said with a grin.
Wendy was relieved and disappointed all at once when he let go of her hand and pointed it at the Christmas shop. Just as well. She was supposed to be engaged, after all … though she still hadn’t received a ring. Or for that matter, a proposal.
Missy gave Wendy a little jab in the ribs with her elbow, followed with a wink and a smile. “What fun. Shall we go inside?”
Wendy frowned. Thank Heaven Missy was a good friend, or she’d might not take kindly to Wendy allowing Jack to hold her hand. But Missy knew she and Bill were ill-suited. Hadn’t she been trying to tell her all along?
In fact, as soon as Jack was out of earshot, Missy said, “I’m glad.”
“Of what?”
“That you’re finally seeing the light.” Missy stuck her sucker back in her mouth.
Wendy gazed at Jack at the other end of the store as he picked up an ornament, examined it, put it back and picked up another. “I don’t know what I ever saw in Bill.”
Missy laughed. “You never saw anything in him. You just finally figured that out.”
“What if Jack had never come to town? What if we never ran into him that day? I don’t think I’d have realized what I’ve been doing.”
“Or not doing,” Missy tacked on. “But I’m happy for you. And I’m glad you finally opened your eyes. You had me worried.”
“I know and I’m sorry, Missy. I’ve been stupid and blind and …” She made a circular motion with her hand. “… complacent. Content to just go through the motions of life.” She sighed heavily and looked at a display of red bows. “Scared.”
“Why the long face?” Missy asked.
Wendy examined a bow and sighed again. “Jack will be leaving soon. I’m going to miss him.”
Missy shrugged. “So do something about it.”
Wendy made a face. “Like what? He’s been very gentlemanly, but I don’t think he has any real interest in me. Not like before. Besides, he knows I’m engaged.”
“You’re not engaged. Bill hasn’t actually proposed, remember?”
Wendy rolled her eyes. “Yeah …”
“Forget about Bill, your dad, this new business venture of theirs and just live your own life. If your dad cuts you out of his will, fine – that’s on his head. You go and live.”
Wendy smiled and hugged her friend. “Thanks, Missy. I’m surprised you didn’t hit me over the head with a two-by-four months ago.”
“Wouldn’t matter if I had,” Missy said with a laugh. “You’d still have had to figure things out yourself.”
“You know me too well.”
Missy took her by the shoulders and turned her toward Jack. “And if you ask my opinion, he’d like to get to know you again.” She gave her a gentle shove.
Wendy hesitated. “I don’t know if it’s the right time. I still have to tell Dad and Bill I’m not getting married.”
“Not to Bill,” Missy teased.
“Stop,” Wendy chided. “Jack’s leaving soon and, well, what can I do?”
“That’s what airplanes are for,” Missy whispered in her ear. “Now go join him and have some fun.”
Wendy sighed, smiled and headed for Jack.
Chapter Ten
“I’ve had a great time,” Missy said with a smile. “But I really have to get going.”
“Are you sure?” Jack asked as they left the restaurant. They’d shopped for several hours, had lunch, and were headed for a tree lot.
“I’m afraid so,” she said. “But I’ll join you two again – maybe we could do something else Christmassy?”
“Like what?” Wendy asked. “Bake cookies?”
“Sounds good to me,” Jack said. “I haven’t baked Christmas cookies in years.”
Wendy’s eyebrows shot up. “You bake cookies?”
>
“On occasion,” he said a little defensively. “I’m not without talents.” He patted himself on the back, and the women laughed.
“This was fun,” Missy said. “Let’s do it again before you leave, Jack.”
“Cookies it is, then” he replied. “But don’t think Wendy and I will wait for you to help us decorate her tree.”
“I’m sure the two of you can handle that on your own,” she said with a smile. “Now I really do have to go. I’ll call you later.”
They said their goodbyes and watched Missy head for the parking lot. “I really ought to introduce Charlie to her,” Jack said. “I think they’d be a good match.”
“Except for the distance between here and Cutter’s Creek,” Wendy pointed out.
He looked at her. “It’s no different than for us.”
They were so close they could almost touch. Wendy backed up a step to put some distance between them. She didn’t trust herself at the moment. If Jack were to kiss her, she’d let him. But until she officially broke it off with Bill, it wouldn’t be right. Besides, she didn’t want to feel guilty or read anything into a simple kiss. Maybe kissing her hand last night was Jack testing himself. But what did she know? She wasn’t the most experienced, or the wisest, when it came to men.
“How about that tree?” Jack asked and steered her toward the parking lot.
She smiled, nodded and they headed for the car.
They found a lot six blocks away with some good-looking trees. “Perfect,” Jack said as he parked. “Any idea what kind of tree you’d like?”
“Aren’t they all the same?”
“And you a Montana girl,” he said with a shake of his head. “Haven’t you ever bought a Christmas tree?”
“No.” She hung her head. “Mom or Dad always took care of it – well, paid someone to. David and I never had any say.”
“Too bad. Well, looks like I’ll have to educate you.” They left the car and began to stroll through the lot.
A middle-aged woman in a red stocking cap appeared out of nowhere and asked if they needed help. “Do you have any nobles?” Jack asked.
“Yes, over here.” She motioned them to follow her.
“Oh, Jack,” Wendy said when they reached them. “These are beautiful. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen one.”
“Then this is what you should have. How about this one?” He pointed.
“Isn’t it too big?”
“If it doesn’t scrape the ceiling, it’s not too big.” He turned to the woman. “We’ll take it.” Before Wendy could pull out some money, he was paying for it, and she watched a man help Jack tie it to the top of the car. Jack was taking care of things. She felt positively giddy. She’d never done anything like this with Bill, never thought to do it. It was a simple, fun outing. She’d been missing out on a lot of fun.
“I assume you don’t have a tree stand,” Jack asked.
Wendy did her best to look sheepish and shook her head.
“I see,” he drawled. “Well, we’ll have to fix that.” He found the woman again, purchased a stand, then escorted Wendy to the car.
“You seem to know what you’re doing,” she commented.
“Wendy Preston, how little you remember.”
“But I do remember, Jack,” she said in all seriousness. “I’m starting to remember a lot.”
He looked into her eyes as he opened her car door. “Glad to hear it,” he said softly. They stood there a moment, gazing at each other with the door separating them. She couldn’t pull her gaze away.
He cleared his throat as his eyes darted to her lips. “Let’s … get this tree home.”
She swallowed hard and nodded. “Good idea.”
She got in and stared out the window as Jack walked around to his side of the car. She was about to be alone with a handsome man in her home, putting up a Christmas tree and decorating it. How romantic was that? The thought made her misty-eyed. Her old feelings for Jack were being rekindled in force – watching him leave in a few days was going to be terrible. But she didn’t want to think about that now. Instead she decided to enjoy the moment. They’d had a wonderful day so far and she didn’t want it to end.
“Do you have any cocoa at your house?” he asked when he got in.
“Hot chocolate?”
“I’ve got plenty of chocolate,” he teased. “You forget I collect cocoa.”
She smiled as she remembered. “Yes, you always did.”
He leaned toward her as he started the car. “So do you?”
She looked at him, discovered she was leaning toward him too and tried to pull back, but couldn’t. It was like an invisible rope was pulling them closer, closer …
“Wendy,” he said softly, “I’ve had a wonderful day so far.”
Wendy gazed into his eyes and swallowed hard. “Me too.” Her voice was just as soft, just as compelling …
Then the inevitable happened. Who reached who first she didn’t know, or care. She wanted the kiss badly. Jack was awakening things in her she didn’t know existed. This wasn’t what they had when they were in high school. No, this was different. This made her realize how incomplete she was. Just as his simple kiss on her hand last night had kept her awake for hours, this was going to have her in a tizzy for days.
Jack broke the kiss, opened his eyes and winced. “Wendy, forgive me. I…”
“It’s all right.” She licked her lips, and could still taste him. Oh my. “I’m just not sure, Jack, I just don’t …”
“I know.” He put the car in gear. “I shouldn’t have done that. Bill wouldn’t take kindly to it if he found out.”
That got her attention. She looked at him and realized he didn’t know she was going to break it off. Maybe it was better to keep Jack at arm’s length for now. As much as she’d like to get to know him better, spend more time with him, she had to get herself straight first. She needed her life in order and that was that. She didn’t want to just replace her father and Bill with Jack. She had to know she could do things on her own.
Inwardly, she laughed. She couldn’t pull away from Jack right now if she tried. That had been established. But she still needed to drop the bomb on Dad and Bill ASAP.
They left the tree lot, drove home, got the tree off the car and into the house. Once it was in the stand, they stepped back to admire their handiwork. “It looks good,” Jack said with a smile. He turned to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “But we forgot something.”
Her face fell. “What?”
He grinned. “Lights.”
She laughed. She’d been doing that a lot today. It was a nice change. “Shall I get my keys?”
“Yup, let’s head out again. I hope you didn’t have anything going on today.”
“No, just you.”
He headed for the door, stopped and turned to her with that wonderful gaze of his. “I won’t deny that I like the sound of that.” He moved closer. “In fact I like it a lot, Wendy.”
She looked away. If she got lost in his eyes, she’d kiss him again. “Jack …”
He tucked a finger under her chin and brought her face around. “I know. But I also won’t pretend I didn’t enjoy what happened earlier. It was nice, Wendy, real nice.”
She finally raised her eyes to his. “Like old times?”
He lowered his face.” “Better.” Rather than kiss her, as she expected, he pulled her into a bear hug. “I’m glad we’re still friends.” He let her go.
All Wendy could do was stand there gaping at him. Friends? Is that all he wanted? So she was right. He was testing the waters, seeing if his heart still yearned for her. Maybe it didn’t. Or was this because of Bill? Darn it, this was so confusing …
He headed out the door and she followed, locking up and catching up to him at the end of the walk. They drove in silence to the nearest store, got Christmas lights and returned home.
Wendy felt like she’d been hit by a truck. Their lack of words said it all – they weren’t meant to be
. Jack would leave in a few days and she would go on with her life, without Bill, without her father – and without Jack. But she had to make a life of her own, so maybe later she’d be ready for someone like Jack. She just wished she was ready now.
Chapter Eleven
“You saw what?” Norman Preston barked. “I won’t have it!”
Bill paced on the other side of Norman’s desk. “I don’t understand how she could be having such a good time with him,” he lamented. “It’s that friend of hers, Missy. She must have talked her into it.”
“Don’t blame Missy for this,” Norman said. “I’m not sure she had anything to do with it. She likes you, after all.”
“Perhaps so, but maybe not enough to have me marry Wendy.”
“Don’t worry. Wendy is my daughter and she’ll do as I tell her.”
“Does that include marrying me?”
“Of course it does. I’ve been grooming her for this for months!”
“Perhaps that wasn’t long enough,” Bill said dryly. He went to the window that overlooked downtown. “I was at the Galleria looking for a gift.”
“For Wendy?” Norman said. “How disappointing to see her with another man while buying her something for Christmas. That Jack Carlson always was trouble.”
“Actually, the gift was for Mother. I haven’t got a clue what to get Wendy for Christmas, other than an engagement ring. And as for Jack, he’s nothing. She’ll figure that out soon enough.”
“You’re right – he’s poor as a church mouse. By the way, you really ought to make things official and propose. Preferably in public where people can see you do it.”
“I suppose. The more witnesses the better.”
“Good man. Why don’t you take her to the Singer Club and do it there? There will be plenty of our people dining. It’s perfect.”
“Yes, you’re right. But what if I have to talk sense into her? What if she doesn’t listen?”
“Then make her listen. What are you, a man or a mouse?”
Bill arched an eyebrow at him, then returned to the window. “I need not remind you, Norman, that this merger is important to my father and uncles.”