Conflict of Interests

by Denean Dawson

  “I don’t want to live without you two either,” Caroline replied softly.

  The tension between them was easing with each passing minute, and Jake felt like an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It didn’t take them long to arrive at Jack’s house, and when they entered it was clear that everyone was happy to see Caroline too. Jonathan latched himself to Caroline’s legs, then dragged her into the kitchen to look at the cookies they had baked.

  “Don’t they taste good?” Jonathan asked, watching intensely as Caroline took a bite of one of the cookies, which were lumpy and slightly burnt.

  “Hmm, they taste amazing,” she lied. “Next time I have to join,” she leaned down and hugged Jonathan tightly.

  “‘Yes! Danielle, you can also join again,” Jonathan said kindly as he turned and looked at her.

  “That sounds great,” Danielle said with a smile.

  Jake looked around and felt overwhelmed with emotion. He was so happy to see his family together, including his brother and Danielle, because they were family too. While Caroline and Danielle were busy with Jonathan, Jake pulled his brother aside. “So, it's going to take some time for Caroline to completely forgive me for everything. Obviously. But we talked about the merger situation, and we both agree we should still go through with it. But I want you to run the show,” he said.

  “Are you sure?” Jack asked, sounding shocked.

  “Yes, I’m sure. For Caroline to trust me she says I can’t just go around cutting women out of my life. I just have to earn her trust and make sure I don’t screw it up again,” Jake replied.

  Jack nodded as he listened to his brother. "Okay, if that’s what you guys want, I will take care of it,” Jack agreed, then he shook his brother’s hand.

  “Thank you, brother. I need to talk to Melissa and I was wondering...would you mind coming with me when I do? I think it would be good to have a neutral party involved.”

  “Let me know when and where, and I’ll be there.”

  Chapter Twelve, All Good Things

  The next day, Melissa sat at the oak conference table once again. She had received a message from Jake asking her to meet him there. She hadn't replied to the message—neither the first one he had sent on that awful day, nor the more recent one—but she had shown up to the meeting because she couldn’t abandon her business. Nothing was certain anymore, and Melissa felt uneasy as she waited for Jake. If Caroline had left him, maybe that meant they could be together. She didn’t want to seem too eager about Jake’s failed relationship, but she hoped it meant her chance of being with Jake hadn’t disappeared.

  “Hi Melissa, thank you for meeting us here today,” Jake announced as he entered the room trailed by Jack.

  Melissa was shocked to see Jack. She was even more shocked by how formal Jake was being toward her. It wasn’t what she had expected at all. Both men sat down in front of her, and she felt as if she were about to be interrogated.

  “It’s my pleasure,” Melissa responded uncertainly. “Umm, so where are we on the merger?”

  “Well, as you know this merger has caused a fair share of problems,” Jake said, folding his arms over his chest, leaning back into the chair as though completely relaxed.

  “Yes, I guess I know that,” Melissa replied. She looked down at her hands, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. She wasn’t sure where Jake was going with the conversation. He didn’t seem happy to see her, nor did he seem interested in even looking at her—his eyes fixed above her head.

  “Great. I’m glad we’re on the same page. I asked you here to tell you that I will be stepping away from the merger. I have other things to focus on, and Jack will be taking my place,” Jake said.

  Dumbfounded, Melissa looked back and forth between the brothers. She wasn’t sure if she should say anything about what had happened between her and Jake because his brother was sitting right there. For a moment, Melissa said nothing. She was having trouble taking everything in. Something must have changed after that first text from Jake; his behavior toward her had completely changed. He didn’t seem interested in her presence at all. She shouldn’t have gotten her hopes up about having a future with Jake. Clearly, he had chosen who he wanted to be with, and it wasn’t Melissa. The worst part was, she still wanted the merger to go forward so she couldn’t complain about having to work with Jack.

  It was finally dawning on Melissa that she would have to move on with her life. She had been holding onto a fairytale for far too long. What had she been thinking? Jake had made it clear he was taken, but she had still flirted with him, she had still worn her sexiest outfits, in the hope that he would choose her instead.

  Melissa had always been a strong woman, she had always gone after what she wanted, but she had never come so close to crossing the line before. She couldn’t believe that she had been so wrapped up in her own ideas about her life that she was willing to betray another woman. Melissa had disrespected Jake, his girlfriend, and, most of all, herself. Melissa wanted to cry, to run, to hit something for being so careless and reckless.

  “Alright, I understand. Jake, do you mind if we talk alone for a moment?” Melissa asked. She had finally accepted the truth, and she felt the need to apologize to Jake for what she had done.

  The men across from her shared a meaningful glance. Melissa wasn’t sure how they managed to communicate just by looking at each other but, eventually, Jack nodded his head and left the room. Melissa saw him standing outside the door, only close enough to hear them if they raised their voices.

  “We can’t talk for too long, I need to get home to my family,” Jake said sternly.

  “Okay. Umm, I just want to say that I’m sorry for what I did. I know I shouldn’t have tried to push things. I guess I just got caught up in our history. I shouldn’t have thought that we could just pick up where we left off, especially when you told me you were with someone,” Melissa said, pleased she had managed to get the words out without tearing up.

  “I can’t blame you for everything, because I also allowed myself to get caught up in the past, but I love Caroline and I want to be with her, not with you,” Jake replied softly.

  She could tell he wasn’t trying to hurt her feelings, more so, he was trying to be honest with her. She appreciated that; he was saying what she needed to hear. He was giving her the closure she needed so she could move on with her life. It was time for her to figure out what type of man she truly wanted because she had held on to an imaginary version of Jake for so many years. “I really am sorry. I guess it’s time we both moved on.”

  “Me too, Melissa. What we had was great, but we were kids. This is what’s best for both of us now,” Jake replied.

  “Looks like we just weren’t meant to be,” Melissa said, confirming what she had been denying for so long.

  She had been wishing for something that no longer existed, and she had almost ruined a few people’s lives because of that. Melissa had built a fantasy in her mind of what her life could be like with Jake, but it was just that, a fantasy. Maybe she should have contacted Jake when she was younger, maybe they could have tried doing long distance, maybe...No, it was time to stop dwelling on the past. She would be better off remembering her time with Jake fondly, and moving on.

  “No, we weren’t. We will always share those memories but, as of today, you are just a business partner, and Jack will be in charge of things going forward. It’s better that we keep contact to a minimum,” Jake replied gently as he stood to leave.

  “Of course, I completely understand. You have nothing to worry about,” Melissa replied, and she truly meant it. Her chapter with Jake had come to an end.

  Melissa sat there for a moment after Jake left the room, then she picked up her things to leave. Jack was waiting for her in the hallway.

  “Listen, I don’t know why you came here, if it was for Jake or because of the merger, but you almost messed his life up completely. I don’t think you’re a bad person, but he’s my bro
ther, and Caroline is my friend. Jake was this close...” he held his thumb and index finger less than an inch apart, “...to pulling out of the deal completely. I hope you and I can work together without any problems,” Jack finished.

  Melissa wasn’t shocked by what Jack said, he had always been the frank brother. He was right to be protective of his family too. "Thank you for clearing that up for me, you have nothing to worry about,” Melissa said sincerely. She gave Jack a tentative smile, not wanting him to get the wrong impression, then headed for the lobby.

  Melissa felt strangely at peace as she rode the elevator down. It seemed that she hadn’t really needed Jake, what she had needed was closure. The revelation excited her, she was ready to move into a new section of her life, she was ready to finally meet someone that could love her. She had pushed away every man that had come into her life, but no more. Melissa would not deprive herself any longer. She had centered her life around her work, which wasn’t a bad thing, but it had stopped her from being truly fulfilled. She hadn’t traveled much, she hadn’t had that much fun, and it was time to change that.

  The day hadn’t gone as she’d expected, but she was happy. She finally knew what she wanted and what she needed to do to get her life back on track. Of course, she wouldn’t turn her attention away from her business because that was still important to her, but she knew that she needed to take back control. She had her whole life laid out before her, and the possibilities were endless. Melissa walked out of the Jamyson & Jamyson building with a completely new outlook on life. As she walked down the sidewalk, she noticed some handsome men staring at her, and she smiled back.

  Chapter Thirteen, Trust is All You Need

  Two months had passed since the Melissa incident, and Caroline finally felt like things had gone back to normal. It had been difficult for her to trust Jake at first, but he had done an excellent job of proving he meant what he said. He had changed back into the man she knew him to be. She was glad that she had put her faith into their relationship because things between them were better than ever.

  “So, things are good between you and Jake?” Danielle asked. They were sitting at Danielle’s kitchen table while the guys were out in the backyard setting up the barbeque for dinner.

  “Oh, so much better. I know some people will think I’m crazy for staying with him after what happened, but I love him. Plus, he didn’t cross the point of no return,” Caroline replied. Jake hadn’t physically cheated on her, he’d admitted to having some thoughts he shouldn’t have had, but Caroline knew he hadn’t acted upon them, which was the most important thing. Even though he had been confused about his feelings for Melissa, Jake had not betrayed her.

  “I don’t think you’re crazy. You believe that Jake is the one for you and you don’t want to give up on that. All I will say is this, if he does anything to hurt you again, I think I might punch him in the face,” Danielle said with a laugh though Caroline could tell she was being serious.

  “I appreciate that,” Caroline said, laughing as well.

  She really appreciated Danielle and their friendship. Caroline didn’t have many female friends in the city, so having Danielle there to talk to and confide in made her feel much better. Danielle had really gone out of her way to make sure Caroline was alright when she had first gone to her with her concerns, and that was something Caroline would always be grateful for.

  “We’re dating brothers, I think if anything we have to be there for each other because no one would understand each other, or them, as well as us!” Danielle grinned.

  “Are you two gossiping?” Jack asked as he entered the kitchen.

  “No, of course not,” the two women replied in unison.

  “Hmm, yeah right,” Jack said while he fiddled around in the kitchen.

  “Can I help you with anything?” Danielle asked after a few moments.

  “No, no. I’ve got everything under control,” he replied as he turned around with a pair of tongs in his hand and a huge smile on his face.

  The two women watched as he walked over to the fridge and pulled out a glass serving dish filled with meat that had been set aside to marinate. He stood still for a moment before nodding his head. “That’s everything, see you ladies when you’re done here,” Jack said with a wink before quickly kissing Danielle on the cheek on his way out.

  “You two are so cute together,” Caroline said when they were alone again.

  “Oh, thank you. Meeting him was such a surprise, but I’m glad I did. I love that guy so much,” Danielle blushed slightly.

  Caroline was happy that everything seemed to be going so well between Jack and Danielle. It was nice to see him settled down and happy. “It shows, and it’s painfully obvious that he loves you too,” she joked. It was nice to be able to talk to Danielle about something beside her own relationship. It had consumed most of the talk between the two of them for a while, and even though she appreciated it, Caroline didn’t always want to talk about herself. She wanted to be the type of person people could turn to when they needed advice.

  “I think he’s going to propose soon. He’s been dropping hints about our future, maybe testing to see if we’re on the same page,” Danielle said excitedly, keeping her voice low in case anyone was around.

  “Oh, wow. That’s so exciting!” Caroline exclaimed.

  “I know! I’ll have to wait and see, but if he does end up asking me, I’ll say yes,” Danielle added.

  “That’s great, I’m so happy for you.”

  “Thank you. I still can’t believe how my life has turned out. I wasn’t even looking for a guy when Jack came along and now, I’m thinking of settling down with him, life is crazy,” Danielle said as she shook her head in disbelief.

  Of course, Caroline knew just how crazy life could be. She had started out as a nanny, only to end up meeting the love of her life. It had been like something out of a movie. Danielle’s talk about a proposal got her wondering if Jake might do the same soon. He had proven his love for her again and again over the last few months, and she felt like they finally might be ready to take the next step in their relationship. “Life is definitely crazy,” Caroline agreed, “come on, let’s go join them outside.”

  Together, the women got up and walked into the backyard where they found the guys messing around. Jonathan was in the middle of the two men, who were each holding one of his hands and swinging him back and forth. The boy was shrieking with laughter. Caroline smiled to herself as she watched the scene unfold. She had missed out on moments like this when she had lost her family; it was still something she had to get used to. She loved the idea of having a family of her own, and she hoped that one day that would come true for her.

  “They really are a crazy bunch, aren’t they?” Danielle whispered. The guys hadn’t seen them yet as they stood at the back door watching.

  “They really are but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Caroline replied.

  “Are you two just going to stand there staring or are you going to join us over here?” Jake called when he noticed them.

  “We’re coming, we’re coming,” Danielle said with a laugh as she led the way over to them.

  Caroline stayed where she was for a moment, taking everything in. It would have been easy for her to walk away two months ago but as she stood there watching the man she loved tickle his son, she knew that she wanted to be a part of the family more than anything else. She believed that the drama that had happened between her and Jake had actually brought them closer to each other. If they could make it through something like that, they could make it through anything.

  “Hey, you,” Jake said when he noticed she was still on the porch. He made his way over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

  “Hey to you too,” Caroline returned his embrace.

  “Is everything okay?” Jake asked gently as he brushed some of her hair out of her face.

  She thought about it for a moment before replying. “Everything is p
erfect. I have everything I’ve ever wanted.”

  “So do I.” Jake pulled her closer to him and kissed her gently.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, feeling her body warm up at his touch as he held her tightly against his body.

  “Hey, hey, hey. There are children around!” Jack called behind them, which sent the two of them into a fit of laughter. They turned to look at Jack, who wore a huge grin on his face.

  “Jonathan must get used to the idea of kissing because soon enough he’ll be kissing girls himself,” Jake teased as he left Caroline and made his way over to his son who seemed to be repulsed by the idea.

  “Eww, I’ll never kiss anyone,” Jonathan exclaimed before he was tackled to the ground by Jack who started to tickle him until he squealed.

  “Never say never,” Caroline laughed.

  “Nope, it’s gross,” Jonathan huffed when he had caught his breath.

  “Who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone who changes your mind, someone that makes you see things differently,” Jack said as he turned and looked at Danielle. At the same time, Jake looked over at Caroline and winked at her.

  “Right, I’m starving. Let’s get this party started,” Jack said, while walking to the grill to flip the sizzling meat.

  Chapter Fourteen, Planning for the Future

  “I love having my brother over but man, Jonathan is messy,” Jack said when the others had left. He and Danielle were standing in their kitchen in front of a mountain of dishes, delaying the tedious task of cleaning them.

  Of course, both Jake and Caroline had offered to help clean up, but Jack had insisted that they go home. He loved spending time with his family, but the outfit Danielle was wearing had been driving him crazy all night, and he wanted some alone time with her.

  “Now, imagine if he was our child, the house would be this messy all the time!” Danielle replied with a laugh.

  “I imagine our children running around like wild things all the time. I’ve been thinking Dani...,” Jack said seriously.