by Janice Lynn
As if he understood what she meant, he nodded again. “I’d like to see more of your work.”
“Why?”
He gave her an odd look. “Because you’re good and I’m interested in seeing what you’ve created.”
“I’ve only done a few pieces.” That she’d show anyone, at any rate. She hoped to get started again soon. Finding a local art studio where she could work was still on her list of things to do. “For the record, I don’t think of it as creating something, more an unleashing of what’s locked away inside the clay.”
Jack studied her, making her feel exposed, like he could see deep inside her to her thoughts. Then again, hadn’t she thought the same when they’d been at Rockin’ Tyme? The man saw past her shell to what she had hidden inside.
“You’re very talented,” he finally said, and sounded sincere.
“See, Tay,” Amy announced, coming back into the room from taking a bathroom break. “I’m not the only one who thinks you’re amazing.”
Eyes locked with Taylor’s, Jack grinned. “Definitely not the only one. She is very talented.”
Taylor’s cheeks heated. Why did she get the impression he wasn’t talking about art anymore?
Why did that excite her?
Because Neil had made her think she was abnormal and dull? Because, for all her therapy and growth, a part of her had believed him until she’d met the man running his finger lovingly over her sculpture?
She wasn’t abnormal or dull. She was passionate and creative and still unpeeling so many buried layers of who she was, of who she wanted to be.
Just like with the clay, she was unleashing the real Taylor.
“Thank you, Jack.” She didn’t mean for his compliment regarding her sculpture either.
Eyes sparkling, his smile wrapped around her and threatened to pull her close. “You’re welcome, Taylor.”
Taylor fought gulping, turned away from him, but made the mistake of looking Amy’s way.
Her friend was grinning from ear to ear. Ugh.
She really needed to be more careful or Amy was going to think she was onto something with her matchmaking.
Maybe if circumstances were different, she might give in to the temptation she saw in Jack’s eyes. She was in Warrenville to start fresh, not rekindle something that would be over almost as quickly as it started. She wasn’t having a man and possible heartbreak interrupt the normal, happy life she was carving for herself.
* * *
Taylor didn’t bump into Jack the following day at the hospital. Which gave her an emotional reprieve as she knew it was the last day of his three on, four off shift.
Unfortunately, Amy refused to let her enjoy that reprieve.
“A bunch of friends is getting together for dinner and drinks. I want you to meet them. Get ready and go with me.”
Glancing up from where she was reading an article on antibiotic resistance, Taylor reminded Amy, “You don’t have to invite me to go with you everywhere you go.”
She didn’t want to be antisocial, but she’d never operated on Amy’s high level of social activity. Her friend had always been able to go, go, go.
“I know that and I don’t.” Amy’s hands went to her hips. “You didn’t hear me inviting you to go with me to my grandmother’s, did you?”
Taylor rolled her eyes. “What I heard was you trying to throw Jack and me together, because he will be there, won’t he?”
“Jack is my friend. Of course he’ll be there.” Amy gave a little so-what shrug. “Besides, you like him. I see it in your eyes when you look at him.”
“I wouldn’t be looking at him if you’d quit throwing us together,” Taylor reminded her, putting her magazine down.
“Inviting you to go with me tonight has nothing to do with those looks I see passing back and forth between you and Jack.”
Taylor eyed her friend suspiciously. “I don’t need to be babysat. A year ago maybe, but now I’m content spending time alone and just enjoying life.”
She really itched to unpack her supplies, make a space in one corner of her room and get her hands wet with her clay.
Watching Jack touch her sculpture the night before had her fingers eager to mold and shape new pieces.
No, not pieces. One particular piece that was starting to take hold in her mind. She couldn’t see it, just knew it was there, obscured from sight and necessary to be found by touch, necessary to be set free from the excess clay surrounding it.
“Yeah,” Amy said, “except I don’t see you enjoying life when you are sitting on the sofa, reading work-related articles.”
“I’ve only been moved in a week,” she said. “Should I have been throwing a party or out all night repeatedly during that time?”
“No, but you do need to quit hiding yourself away.”
“Too bad I didn’t hide myself away when I met Neil.”
“Neil was an idiot, stuck on himself,” Amy announced matter-of-factly.
Taylor snorted. “Agreed, and I married him. What does that say about my judgment?”
“That you should let me choose all future dates.”
Taylor rolled her eyes. “You’re under the assumption I want to date. I don’t. I really am happy with where I am in life.”
Mostly.
“Fine. You don’t want to date and are happy with where you are in life. Now, about dinner, because you have to eat...”
She’d lived with Amy throughout college. Her friend wasn’t going to let her sit at home alone. “By going to dinner with you and your friends, what you mean is going to dinner with you and Jack?”
“Not just Jack and me. There will be others, too.” Not looking one bit guilty, Amy laughed. “I always did say you were the smart one in our friendship.”
Knowing Amy wouldn’t relent, Taylor stood from the sofa, stretched, and wondered if she should change. “That’s not how I remember it.”
“Yeah, well, your memory might be a little foggy. Good thing you’re here for me to remind you of all the fun times we used to have.”
* * *
Dinner with friends consisted of several co-workers meeting at a local bar. There were nine in total, so their waitress pushed two tables together and pulled a chair to one end.
Jack took the chair on the end.
Taylor went to move to the opposite end of the table but, as luck would have it, everyone else was already in the process of sitting down.
Grinning at her foiled efforts, Amy took the chair opposite where she stood, leaving only one unclaimed chair.
Right next to Jack.
“If I didn’t know better I’d think you were trying to avoid sitting next to me.”
She sank into the seat and gave him a pert smile. “Good thing you know better.”
He stared at her a moment, then offered, “I will move my chair to the other end of the table if you want, Taylor.”
Quit being so nice, she wanted to scream. Instead, she shook her head. “There’s no need for that.”
The waitress took drink orders. Everyone up to Taylor ordered beer.
“A water with lemon, please.”
“Ah, Tay, loosen up and have some fun,” Amy encouraged.
Taylor just smiled at her best friend and was grateful when the waitress took Jack’s order then left to get their drinks.
“Afraid to lower your inhibitions around me?”
First making sure Amy was caught up in her conversation with the phlebotomist sitting next to her, Taylor cut her eyes to Jack. “Should I be?”
“No.” but the promises in his eyes warned otherwise. “Unless you’re still upset with me about what I said to Duffy.”
She shook her head.
“In which case, there’s no reason why we can’t be friends.”
“Friends.” Taylor let that sink in. Jac
k wanted to be her friend. “Is that what you want from me? Friendship?”
His gaze darkened. “Until a few days ago I thought I already had your friendship. Now I’m not sure.”
“You did.” Taylor sighed. “You do,” she corrected, knowing it was true. How did she explain she’d enjoyed their tryst but didn’t want to pick up where they’d left off? But that she feared her body wouldn’t go along with that plan given half a chance?
The crinkles at the corners of his eyes fanned outward. “I’m glad. You have to admit we had a good time.”
She couldn’t deny it. Neither did she want to discuss their “good time” at a table of their co-workers, especially not as she could feel Amy’s curious looks.
“Right. The concerts were great. I really appreciate you keeping me from going alone. Now, tell me about where you’ll be headed for your next music festival.”
Yes, she was changing the subject. To his credit, he let her.
“I don’t have another until after my gig is up here in Warrenville. Then I’m off to Daytona for a country music weekend event.”
“Country music?”
“Yep.” He glanced around the bar where they were and stage-whispered, “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re knee deep in country in this place.”
She had noticed the handful of couples out on the dance floor and the twangy music playing in the background.
“I didn’t know you liked country.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” He grinned. “Yet.”
“There’s a lot I do know about you,” she mimicked in a low voice. When she looked up, Amy had given up all pretense of conversation with the woman next to her and was watching them like a proud mother hen.
Straightening her napkin and ignoring Amy, Taylor asked, “So, which is your favorite? Country or rock?”
“I like and listen to both. Not sure I like one genre better than the other. Certain artists stand out more than others from both genres, but I really don’t lean more one way than the other overall. What about you?”
“We’ve established that I’m not a big music buff.”
“I thought we’d resolved that at Rockin’ Tyme. You seemed to get into the swing of things.” He grinned. “Literally.”
She laughed. “Some random guy grabbing me and tossing me about a bit doesn’t count as me getting into the swing of things.”
Amy pounced. “I didn’t hear about this random guy. Tell me more.”
Taylor shrugged. “It wasn’t a big deal. Jack and I were dancing and a fellow Rockin’ Tymer wanted a turn.”
“You danced?” Amy’s eyes sparkled.
Feeling quite proud of herself, Taylor nodded. “I told you that I know how to have a good time. Why won’t you believe me?”
Although she looked impressed, Amy shot back, “I keep waiting for you to show me.”
“That’s my cue if ever I’ve heard one.” Jack pushed his chair back, stood, and put his hand out to Taylor. “Dance with me and show this skeptical lady what I already know.”
Feeling pretty skeptical herself, Taylor arched a brow. “What’s that?”
“That you know how to have a very good time.”
CHAPTER TEN
TAYLOR STARED AT Jack’s hand as if he were the Grim Reaper come to lead her down a dastardly path.
It wasn’t a look Jack enjoyed seeing on her pretty face, but they needed to get away from the table and Amy’s listening ears for a few. The dance floor offered that reprieve.
Rather than decline, she reluctantly put her hand in his, shot a glare toward Amy, who laughed, then let him guide her to the dance floor.
“You know the waitress is going to take orders while we’re here, right?” she pointed out while following him to the far corner of the dance area. The other dancing couples didn’t offer much shield from their co-workers’ eyes, but at least their conversation couldn’t be overheard.
“She’ll come back,” he said. “May I?”
“I think it’s a given that you’re going to since we’re here to dance.” She eyed him curiously. “Do you think this is a good idea with everyone watching?”
He wrapped his arms around her, letting his hands rest at her waist. At first she stood awkwardly against him, then sighed and put her arms around his neck.
Holding her again felt so good, so right.
“Let them wonder.”
“Easy for you to say,” she mused. “You’re leaving in a couple of months.”
He pulled back enough to look into her eyes. “You care what they think?”
She considered his question, then shrugged. “Only Amy.”
“She approves.”
Taylor snickered. “You think?”
He did his best to look innocent. “I’ve picked up on a few hints here and there.”
Taylor rolled her eyes. “Observant of you.”
“What about you?”
She arched her brow.
“Do you approve?”
“Of our dancing?” She shrugged. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
“That you are,” he agreed, pulling her closer as they swayed to the music. “You feel good, by the way.”
She smelled good, too. A light vanilla with a dash of spice scent drew him in, making him want to inhale deeply. Cookies, he thought. She reminded him of fresh-baked sugar cookies.
“And,” he continued, “I’ve missed you.”
Her gaze lifted, but it wasn’t a smile on her face. No, she was frowning. “How could you have missed me? We spent less than five full days together.”
“Five great days that ended too soon.”
She didn’t look convinced. “What exactly did you think was going to happen Monday morning at the end of our shift? That we’d make plans to drive to see one another until the sexual chemistry fizzled out? You didn’t know about my interview or that I might move here before your ER stint was up so I know you weren’t planning to see me again.”
“You think our sexual chemistry would have fizzled out?” He ignored the rest of her comments, because he didn’t know the answers.
She rolled her eyes. “Be serious, Jack.”
“I was. It’s been over a month and the chemistry is going strong.”
She missed a step, bumping her foot against his. “It is?”
“Do you really have to ask?” Jack held her close, fighting the urge to lower his head to where he could breathe in the scent of her hair, of her neck, see if she tasted of cookies, too. “I don’t like this tension between us.” Such an understatement. “I can’t figure out if it stems from my comment to Duffy or Amy pushing us together or something I’m clueless about. Regardless, I want you, Taylor. I have from the beginning and that’s not changed. Not for me.”
“If you wanted me so much, why did I have to come to your tent?” Her eyes glittered with challenge and her chin tilted forward. “Why didn’t you come to mine?”
He deserved her questions and she deserved the truth. “I was trying to do the right thing.”
She snorted. “Guess I blew that all to pieces.”
“So that you know the whole truth, I was afraid you weren’t ready to take that step and didn’t want you to have regrets.” He shrugged. “Unfortunately, you do anyway and that’s my fault for my careless comment to Duffy.”
“Why does any of this matter now?”
“Besides the fact that we’re going to be working the emergency department together soon?”
“There is that,” she admitted.
“But more importantly,” he continued, “it matters because I wasn’t ready for our relationship to end and I don’t believe you wanted it to either.”
“We ended one night early,” she reminded.
Jack had never had difficulties talking to women. Now wasn’t the time to s
tart, but he was struggling to tell Taylor how he felt, what he wanted.
“I think you misunderstand.” He searched for the right words. “I didn’t want us to end on Monday morning, Taylor. That’s why I didn’t come to your tent. Because you meant more to me than just another woman I met at a music festival. I was doing my best to make sure you knew that. I thought if we had sex, I’d never convince you that I wanted a relationship.”
“I wanted you to come to my tent.”
“I needed to do things the right way.”
“Whose right way, Jack? Yours? Mine? Someone else’s? Because what makes you think your way was the right way? Or what I even wanted? I’m tired of men who think their way is the right way,” she ranted, her brown eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “Who says I wanted a relationship? What if I just wanted sex and for us to go our separate ways on Monday?”
She had a point. Still, it wasn’t as if he was asking for forever. Just that he enjoyed her company and wanted more of it. Wanted more of her.
Was he was being selfish in wanting to pursue a relationship when he’d be leaving?
Then again, she wasn’t saying she wanted more.
“What is it you want, Taylor? Friendship? Then we’ll just be friends. If that’s what you want, I’ll respect your decision.”
With all his heart he believed she wanted more than friendship. He felt it in her touch, in the way her fingers had found their way into the hair at his nape and toyed with it. “But, for the record, I want more than friendship.”
Her feet were barely moving. “How much more?”
“I’m here for another two months.”
“Beyond that?”
He inhaled. “Anything beyond that wouldn’t be easy. Not with the way I travel.” He exhaled slowly, not liking his next words. “Whatever happened would end when I leave Warrenville.”
The song they danced to ended and another started. They continued to slow dance, but the tempo was more upbeat, matching the wheels turning in Taylor’s head. He could see them spinning round and round, much as the other couples on the dance floor were.
“I miss you, too,” she finally said. “But that doesn’t mean anything is going to happen between us.”