Loving Jack

by Cat Miller

  “Was it because it was a guy?” Rachel asked without rancor. Grace only heard curiosity in the other woman’s voice. Grace actually chuckled.

  “No, it had nothing to do with his bi-sexuality. I hated seeing him with women, but seeing him with men was more difficult. Not because I thought it was wrong, because I didn’t, I still don’t. It was because I couldn’t compete. Do you know hard it is to love a person and know that everyone is a threat to that love? It’s not just the girls you have to worry about, but the guys too. And trust me, Jack had no shortage of admirers.”

  “No, I really can’t imagine how hard that would be,” Rachel admitted.

  “Anyway,” Grace blinked away her agitating tears, “it wasn’t because he was kissing a guy that I was crushed. It was because Jack was kissing anyone other than me. He was my guy. I was devoted. He was jealous of my male friends, but I had to learn to live with him needing other people.”

  “That prick,” Rachel growled.

  “No, don’t be angry with him now. Jack was always honest with me. I was the one who let it continue. We were just too lopsided. In the end I took an internship in New York and did my best to forget him. So that’s our story,” she finished.

  “And when he picked you up on Monday?” Rachel asked.

  Grace blew out a puff of air that sent her hair flying. “On Monday he took me for breakfast. We were together for all of an hour before he had me in his arms.”

  Rachel smiled at that and brought the baby up to her shoulder for a burp.

  “It didn’t go beyond kissing, probably only because we were in public. Then he took me to Artifex and I haven’t seen him since.”

  Now Rachel frowned and the baby let out a lusty burp, giving her opinion on the matter. “He’s such an asshole.”

  Grace had to laugh at that. Rachel and Jack were like brother and sister. They adored each other one moment and cursed each other the next.

  Rachel rose from her seat. Tony appeared on the veranda to take the baby and call Anthony in for a bath. Grace followed Rachel back into the house and into her home office. She opened a door on her sideboard and pulled a framed portrait and handed it to Grace.

  “I put that picture away so Jack wouldn’t have to see it when he comes over,” Rachel explained.

  It was a photograph of Jack standing out on the veranda she’d just been occupying. In the photograph was an extremely tall and ruggedly handsome man with a serious five o’clock shadow, stood with his arm around Jack. The man was a head taller than Jack, and Jack wasn’t a short man. The guy wore what she knew some would refer to as a wife-beater and a pair of jeans hung loosely on his lean hips. Jack looked like his usual perfectly manicured, impeccably dressed self. Jack was grinning happily into the camera. The other guy only had eyes for Jack, and the look of love in his eyes reminded Grace of the look Tony gave to Rachel. They were clearly together, and obviously very much in love. Grace wanted the ground to open up and swallow her so she didn’t have feel the pain coursing through her heart and mind.

  “I don’t know what happened, because Jack refuses to talk about it, but he and Matthew broke up just over six months ago,” Rachel told her. “They were together for two years and on the verge of getting married. Matthew was going to sell his house and they were going to live in Jack’s much larger home. But something happened the day before the big move, and the marriage never happened. Matthew just disappeared from Jack’s life overnight."

  Grace’s heart leapt and she felt like a total jerk for feeling happiness over something that had to have been painful for Jack.

  “He hasn’t dated anyone that I know of since Matthew. So if you’re still interested in pursuing Jack, this may be your time to make a move.”

  SIX

  Grace sat in the garden area of the Fairmont Olympic just staring out at the fluffy clouds floating peacefully in the sky past the grand floor to ceiling windows. Bright morning sunshine filled the room and warmed her skin. It was too bad the sun’s rays couldn’t also warm that chilly spot in her chest. Grace had to make the decision of a lifetime and she still didn’t know what to do.

  She’d risen early with the intent of doing some sightseeing, but Grace hadn’t been able to muster enough enthusiasm for anything more than a delicious breakfast of heirloom frittata at The Georgian Restaurant. Then she’d wandered from the restaurant over to the garden and there she’d sat for the last two hours.

  The night before had been eye opening for Grace on several levels. First, and perhaps the most shocking, was that Grace wanted a family of her own, and she wanted it sooner than later. Her hectic existence in New York hadn’t allowed her the time to stop and think about what she really wanted from life. After one night with Rachel and her family, Grace knew she was ready for a different kind of hectic life now. Grace wanted the kind of chaos that came with being a wife and mother. Second, Grace knew that no matter what she decided about Artifex, she wouldn’t be taking the junior executive position at Stein and Watson. As grateful as she was for the opportunities that the company had provided her, Grace couldn’t go on living like a worker bee with no hope of ever being the queen. She’d become restless and unhappy in New York. It was time to move on. Third, Grace had to come to terms with the fact that no matter how desperately her heart ached for Jack, she would never find her “happily ever after” with him.

  Rachel and Grace had debated the merits of Grace giving Jack a chance to get his head out of his ass before she gave up on him. Rachel was convinced that Jack was doing what he thought was the right thing for Grace and Artifex by staying away from her while she made a decision about taking the CEO position. Grace might have believed that before she’d seen the picture of the loving couple Jack and Matthew had been. Now she had trouble not comparing his current behavior to his behavior back when they were in school. Something Victor said to her on the day of Jack’s father’s funeral kept running around her mind.

  “He occasionally gets a taste for pussy . . . It’s no big deal.”

  Rachel believed Jack was gay, not bisexual, because she’d never seen him with a woman. In nearly six years of friendship and partnership he had never been seen with a woman. But Jack had kissed Grace and promised to do more. So what? Was that really a big deal? Not really. He’d probably remembered what a pain in the ass she’d been in college about sharing his affection and had thought better of being entangled with her again.

  “He occasionally gets a taste for pussy . . . It’s no big deal.”

  The advice Victor had given her so long ago was harsh, but from all that Grace had seen, it was true and good advice. She hadn’t listened back then. She would now.

  Grace’s cell phone began to chirp a little tune in her purse, “Grace Yates,” she answered.

  “Grace, it’s Rachel, good morning.” Rachel sounded bright eyed and bushytailed. With two kids, there probably weren’t many opportunities to sleep in.

  “Good morning,” she replied.

  “Hey, I was just wondering if you had any plans for tonight.” Rachel asked excitedly. “Tony’s mom is in town. She’s going to watch the babies tonight so Tony and I can go have a little fun.”

  “That’s awesome, but don’t you guys want to be alone?” Rachel didn’t really want to be the third wheel.

  “Nope! We love karaoke. So we’re going to a bar that’s pretty close to you. It’s like a Hawaiian vacation spot right here in Seattle! They have karaoke every day, plus awesome food and drinks. There will be a few other couples going as well. You should come along! I swear it’s so much fun!”

  Rachel’s excitement was contagious. Grace laughed at her new friend. She’d never done anything like karaoke before, but she was a good singer in school. A night out with some new people who had no expectations of her actually sounded like a great idea to Grace.

  “That sounds great. It’ll be my first time, so take it easy on me,” Grace said.

  “What? A virgin? They’re the best! We’ll have a few drinks, do a duet or tw
o, and then you’ll be ready to rock on your own,” Rachel giggled.

  “Alright, I’m in.” Grace was getting excited now.

  “We’ll pick you up at nine tonight.” They hung up and Grace finally moved from her garden sanctuary. Now she had a reason to go out. Grace was going to find a dress that made her feel like a rock star.

  ****

  Grace set down her drink and applauded with the rest of the crowd when Tony and Rachel left the stage after singing Leather and Lace. She feared being bored or horrified watching people sing along to well-known songs, but she was having a great time. The Polynesian themed bar had an extremely relaxed atmosphere. The food was delicious and the drinks tasty. Rachel was drinking something blue out of a fish bowl. Grace had started with a Mai Tai. Several drinks later and Rachel and Tony were called to perform on stage. The crowd was really into the singing and dancing and even if the singers were really bad, as long as they involved the audience and looked like they were having fun, the audience ate it up.

  Someone tapped Grace on the shoulder and she turned to find Will, one of the guys in their group holding out his hand to her. “Would you like to dance?” he asked with a sensual smile. They’d been chatting and getting to know each other. He was flirty without being over the top. Grace was thoroughly enjoying his company. Will was a sexy, confident man with a great sense of humor. He was a chef and a friend of Tony’s. She’d learned that he owned a small chain of successful fine dining establishments in cities along the west coast.

  Grace took Will’s hand and let him lead her to the dance floor. The song playing had a good beat and Will had moves. She was laughing as he spun her around and Grace hoped she wasn’t flashing her thong to the room. On her shopping excursion earlier in the day she’d found a flirty cream colored baby doll dress with a wide turquoise ribbon under the breasts. It was cute, but a bit shorter than she liked on her long legs.

  The song changed to a slower tune and Will pulled Grace close to his chest, wrapping an arm around her waist and smiling down at her. The crowd on the floor thinned out a bit as a very talented young lady began to sing Unforgettable.

  “How long will you be in town, Grace?” Will brushed his check against hers. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before she answered. His hold on her body was a little too familiar for a man she just met, but Grace didn’t protest. She knew if her head wasn’t such a mess she’d be enjoying his attention more.

  “I haven’t decided. I have two weeks before I need to be back in New York, but I’ve done what I came here to do. I might go home and visit my family while I have the time, maybe even hit the beach for a week,” she replied.

  “So you’ve made a decision regarding Artifex?” he asked looking into her eyes. Grace raised an eyebrow. He smiled, “Tony told me Rachel is hoping you’ll be her new partner in the business.”

  “No, I haven’t made a decision yet, but I’ve learned enough to know Artifex is a solid company worth taking a risk on. That didn’t take long to figure out. Rachel and Jack have a bright future ahead of them. All they need is a little more structure in their investment portfolio and someone to competently run the finance department. I’m just not sure if that person should be me, and if not, I have a friend in mind for them to consider for the job. I just need to work out some personal issues before I make a final decision.”

  That’s when she saw Jack. He was standing on the edge of the dance floor staring daggers through the back of Will’s head. Grace was instantly transported back in time. Jack was stunning in his casual black slacks and grey shirt open at the throat. Jack’s body had matured into a broader, more substantial frame with age and the muscle he’d put on made him even more alluring. His blond hair was styled in a less orderly fashion that was reminiscent of their youth. They made eye contact and Jack’s nose flared like a bull about to charge. His changeable hazel eyes were as dark as storm clouds when their eyes met and held.

  Unaware of Jack’s presence, Will leaned in to nuzzle her cheek and said against her ear, “I’d love to get to know you better, Grace. Give me a chance to help convince you to relocate to Seattle.”

  Seeing the brush of Will’s lips on Grace’s face, Jack stepped onto the floor just as the song ended and Grace stepped out of Will’s arms. Seeing the storm brewing, Tony grabbed Jack’s arm and said something Grace couldn’t hear in an attempt to stop his wife’s partner from pummeling his friend. Rachel rushed on to the floor and hooked her arm with Grace’s and dragged her toward the stage.

  “It’s our turn to sing.” Rachel peeked over her shoulder. “Holy shit! I’ve never seen Jack react to anything that way,” Rachel said as she handed Grace a microphone. The song they were going to sing wasn’t a duet but they were singing together since it was Grace’s first time. She looked across the crowd and saw Tony talking to a stony-faced Jack. Will was on the other side of the table looking unimpressed by Jack’s temper.

  “Did you know he was coming?” she asked Rachel.

  “Hell no! He was being an ass and avoiding you. So I didn’t tell him we were going out. Apparently he went to the hotel to look for you and decided to check my place when you weren’t there. My mother-in-law told him where to find us.” She looked angry as she looked over to where all three of the men had finally settled to watch the girls perform.

  Rachel patted Grace’s shoulder. “Don’t let that little bump ruin your evening, honey. You’re a single woman on vacation. If he doesn’t want you dancing with other men he needs to claim you. If not, fuck him. You don’t need this macho shit from a man who won’t step up to the plate.” The announcer introduced Rachel and Grace. “Now let’s have some fun.”

  Rachel tugged on her arm and they stepped into the spotlight. The music started and the crowd hooted and applauded wildly. This was a song everyone would get into. That was why they’d chosen it. Grace was a little nervous about standing there with a bar full of people staring at her but she was going to give it her all. Rachel was right. She was there to have fun and that’s what she was going to do. Jack had ruined enough of her evening to last a lifetime.

  Rachel took the first verse of the song and as expected the crowd sang along, “Blame it all on my roots. I showed up in boots. And ruined your black-tie affair.” Suddenly very nervous Grace took the next verse and she was grateful for the several drinks she’d already consumed. “I was the last one to know. The last one to show. I was the last one you thought you’d see there.” By the time they made it to the chorus of Friends In Low Places the entire bar was singing along.

  Back at the table, Grace took the seat next to Will and did her best to ignore Jack’s burning gaze. The crowd cheered as a duo on stage began to sing, Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy. How dare he sit there like he had a reason to feel possessive! It was just like when they were in school. He didn’t want to be monogamous but he didn’t like seeing her with other guys. Grace was sure Luke’s even temper was the only reason he and Jack hadn’t come to blows on several occasions. She would not tolerate his behavior after being ignored all week. The head games were over for Grace.

  Jack rose from his seat and came around the table. Will turned in his chair to cock a challenging eyebrow at Jack. Grace turned her attention to Rachel instead of acknowledging Jack. Maybe he would just leave if she pretended he wasn’t there.

  “Rachel, could you give me a ride to the airport when I head back to New York?” Grace picked up her glass and downed its contents.

  Rachel glared over her head at Jack. “Of course, I can get you to the airport. If I’m tied up at work, Tony will take you to the airport, won’t you, babe?” Rachel didn’t wait for Tony to answer before she continued, “Have you made a decision then? I thought you’d be here for at least two weeks, if not more.” Rachel looked torn between crying and ripping Jack’s head off.

  “You’re just going to leave?” Jack growled from behind her. “You’re not even going to consider the position? It’s a great fucking offer, Grace.”

  Grace i
gnored Jack and spoke to Rachel. “No, I haven’t made a decision, but even if I decline the position I believe I have a friend who will fit the bill nicely. I wouldn’t do you wrong, Rachel, this guy is top-notch. He’s probably a better choice than me to be honest. I’ve been working in investments since college. He has far more experience in corporate finance. You might actually want to have a look at his resume now. You might find you’d rather work with him. There wouldn’t be any hard feelings if that were the case.”

  Actually Grace thought it would suit her just fine if they chose to work with Luke. It would take this painful decision out of her hands. She could go back to New York and work until she found a new position. She could bury all of these painful emotions Jack had unearthed.

  “We’re not looking at any other goddamned resumes! Grace, stop ignoring me!” Jack barked and twisted her entire seat around so she faced him. “We need to talk.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her off of her chair.

  “Hey, back off, man!” Will protested, getting between Grace and Jack. Jack was forced to release her hand. “The lady doesn’t want to talk to you.”

  Rachel moved in to defuse the situation. “Jack, I need to see you outside, now, please.”

  Jack didn’t move. He and Will stood toe to toe, a couple of alpha males waiting for the other to blink. Jack’s hands were balled into fists again. Will looked defiant but relaxed.

  “Look at that,” said Tony. “It’s Grace’s turn again.” Tony pulled her out of the fray and gently pushed her toward the stage. She looked over her shoulder to see the two men still staring each other down.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you, Jack?” Rachel looked ready to punch Jack in the face herself.

  Grace stepped up to the side of the stage and her stomach flipped. She’d selected a song that she believed she could sing well on her own, but it had a whole new meaning with Jack in the audience. She swallowed hard. Jack had indeed ruined this evening for her. As soon as she finished her song she was leaving. It was very likely she was leaving the state entirely. She’d been fooling herself to think she and Jack could ever work together.