by Sara Marion
“It’s not about Jennah, Jack.”
“I think it is. I saw the moment you had out there. I just happened to look up.”
“You don’t know what you saw.”
“You like her, don’t you?”
Duke sighed. He knew there was no getting away from this conversation. Duke used to be able to tell him anything. Jack was his best friend, his brother. The best way to repair their friendship was to act like he could trust Jack with anything.
“I don’t know.”
“Come on, it’s me man.”
Duke huffed. Lexi came back and set his drink down in front of him. “Need anything Jack?”
“I’ll have what he’s having,” Duke noticed Jack didn’t take his eyes off of him. He was silently telling him that he wasn’t letting this go.
“Great, I will be back as quick as I can,” she smiled and patted Duke’s leg. He didn’t even realize her hand was there. Duke watched her walk off.
“She reminds me of Ella,” Duke didn’t look at Jack as he let the words slip past his lips.
“Who? Lexi?”
“No, Jennah. She reminds me of Ella. The way she sounds, her eyes, her look, some of her mannerisms. That outfit she has on tonight, I can see Ella wearing it, maybe with some different shoes. She never was a fan of leopard print. She screams Ella and it scares me.” Duke looked over at Jennah still dancing on the floor. He knew that he had too much to drink because he was starting to pour his heart out and he didn’t care. He remembered he had a few beers at the house before they left and he had quite a few here too. Now he switched to crown and coke.
Lexi came back and dropped off Jack’s drink before she flitted off to another table. Athens was packed tonight. Jack took a long drink before he looked over at Duke who was still staring over at Jennah.
“She’s not Ella.”
“I know that Jack.”
“I think you should stay away from her. No good is going to come of it. If you are having flashbacks of Ella, I would say that is dangerous territory.”
“I know. She reminds me of the perfect life Ella and I had. We were so happy and in love. Jennah reminds me of the future I will never have, but I can’t help but want to get close to her. I want that reminder. I want to remember every little thing about Ella and I’m afraid I will forget how perfect she was for me.”
“Look at me Duke,” Duke looked over at him not wanting to hear what Jack had to say, “She wasn’t perfect, no one is.”
Duke downed his drink. “Ella was perfect. She was everything to me.”
“You are putting her on a pedestal. It’s not healthy.”
“Look, you are getting your happily ever after. Ella was mine and I just want her back.”
“That’s not possible. She’s gone Duke. She can’t come back.”
“No, but Jennah could be a close second.”
“Because you want her to be?”
“I’m done with this conversation.” Duke didn’t want to be lectured tonight. He walked out on the dance floor and located Jennah. He would prove Jack wrong. Ella was perfect and Jennah was so much like Ella that he knew she would be the same. Jennah could be good for him. She would get him out of his stupor.
“Hey, pretty lady, care to dance?” He asked in her ear. He saw the reaction of her friends. They chuckled and eyed him as she turned around to face him.
“Coach?”
“Duke, no coach here.” He smiled. He definitely knew this was the liquid courage talking. He would never pursue a player’s relative. Things could get sticky but right now, he just wanted to dance with her. He leaned in closer to her ear, “So you wanna dance?”
He saw the shiver that went down her spine. “Sure,” her voice trembled. He took her by the hand and led her slightly away from her friends as the song changed to a slower one. The dance floor cleared a bit as people left to get drinks after their stints of dancing, but Duke held Jennah close.
No words were spoken between them as they listened to the music. Duke knew there was definitely something brewing. He felt at home with her in his arms. It was something he hadn’t felt since Ella’s passing. He closed his eyes and took in her light, airy scent. She scooted closer and sighed in contentment. When he opened his eyes, he glanced around. Her friends were watching them. Duke stepped back and spun her around before she collapsed against him. She smiled tipping her head up towards him and he captured her lips against his. When they broke apart she rested her head against his shoulder. He had no idea where their relationship was going, but he like the general direction it was taking. Looking back at Jack, he caught a glimpse of a fleeing blonde, but not just any blonde, Ella. He stopped moving. She was here, but didn’t make herself known.
“Duke?” Jennah’s voice barely registered. Duke let go of Jennah and walked towards the door that Ella had flown through. “Duke!” Jennah called out again.
Duke rushed past the patrons that were heading on to the dance floor. He heard Jack and Jennah call after him but he didn’t stop. He was going to catch Ella and figure out what she wanted. Busting through the door he looked left and right but saw the blonde climbing into a car with someone. He ran towards the car. He caught it before it took off. When the blonde turned to look at him, he realized it wasn’t Ella. The blonde was nowhere close to looking like her. “Oh I thought you were someone else. Sorry,” he apologized. She gave a knowing smile then the car took off.
Sighing, Duke knew it was time for him to leave. He was an ass leaving Jennah like that and he didn’t feel like explaining to her about Ella yet. Hell, she may run from him and he knew he didn’t want that to happen. Duke didn’t want to run away from the first woman that could be good for him, who happened to show some interest in him, or at least did. Climbing into a cab that was waiting for a potential customer, he started to think of ways to explain his actions to Jennah knowing that he needed to apologize, especially after the kiss they shared on the dance floor. He also prayed that when he did explain about Ella, it would send Jennah running.
TWENTY
Jack watched Duke run out of the club for no reason at all. Standing by their table was the waitress he was dancing with, the one he met at the restaurant.
“Sorry about that,” Jack apologized to Jennah. She turned and looked at him. “I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m Jack,” he held out his hand.
She grabbed it and he felt the familiarity of her. “Jennah. You were at the PJ’s Bar and Grill with him and you were with that brunette if I recall.” Jack saw a look of recognition on her face.
“Yeah I was,” he smiled. He let go of her hand and suddenly it felt empty. Jack downed what was left of his drink. “Want something to drink?”
Jennah smiled at him, “Sure.”
Jack waived Lexi down as she was passing by. Lexi took their orders and they both sat back down at the table. He wasn’t sure what to say but he felt the need to explain to her about Duke, but he knew it wasn’t his place. “He’s been on edge lately. Some personal things are going on in his life and we are all trying to be there for him.”
Jennah stared at him as he was talking, “Have we met before PJ’s?”
“No, but you remind Duke of his wife. You remind me of her as well.”
“His wife? He’s married?” Jennah rose from her seat. Jack placed his hand on hers to stop her from leaving.
“I’m sorry. It’s his late wife. She passed a few years back,” he quickly amended. She froze and stared at him. Jack felt like a jerk for spreading Duke’s business, but Jennah didn’t need to think he was a cheating bastard when he wasn’t.
“His wife died?”
“Yeah, it’s a sore spot with him. She was pregnant and he is just having a hard time dealing with it.”
Lexi stopped by the table, looking between the two of them. Jack’s hand was still clasped over hers. He quickly removed it and Lexi walked off, looking over her shoulder at them. Lexi knew Jack and Paxton were back together, so Jack felt like he did somet
hing wrong by holding on to her hand without realizing it.
“He seems so young though. How did his wife die?”
“An accident.”
“That’s so sad,” she took a drink of her jack and coke. Jack followed her lead with his neat scotch sitting in front of him. Neither of them said a word for a few minutes. She finally broke the silence, “So what about you? Why are you out tonight?”
“Just blowing off steam with the boys.”
“Wanna dance? I feel like it’s too somber over here now.”
“Sure,” Jack took another drink. He felt the liquor starting to kick in as they finished their drinks.
They kept their distance out on the floor, both knowing that there was something going on between her and Duke. Jack couldn’t help but see why Duke was hung up on her. She was sweet and caring. She did remind Jack of Ella. He kept his own emotions in check as they continued to dance. However, one thing they agreed on was to keep the drinks flowing out on the floor. Between the guys he came with and her girlfriends they all seemed to be having a good time. They were enjoying each other’s company and little by little, the distance between them closed. “I think I like you Mr. Jack,” Jennah said pulling him closer.
Jack smiled knowing that he couldn’t get involved, no matter how much he wanted to at the moment. She stood on her toes and kissed him. Jack fell into the moment. The world was spinning around them and somewhere in the night, a spark happened between them. He pulled away. “Uh, I’m sorry.”
“Take me home?” She pressed herself into him, much like she did with Duke several hours ago. He looked around and saw that the boys were long gone. When they left he wasn’t sure. He lost track of time looking into Jennah’s green eyes.
“What about your friends?”
“They are busy with their own men. I’m all yours, Jack.”
“And Duke?”
“I like him too but he left me…alone and needy.”
Jack chuckled and led her off the dance floor. He would take her home, yes, but not to sleep with her. He wanted to make sure she got home safe because that is what Duke would expect of him, at least that’s what Jack kept telling his drunk self and he had Paxton. As soon as they left the dance floor, the lights turned on. Jack told her to wait at the table while he paid his tab. He left a good-sized tip on his ridiculous tab the boys went crazy on and pulled Jennah outside with him. They stumbled through the doors laughing as the headed to a group of cabbies waiting for fares. He couldn’t help but laugh around Jennah. She was so caring and kind, much like Ella. Again, he found himself comparing her to Ella. Duke was completely right about the similarities and that is why Jack, Duke and Paxton needed to remain cautious around her. Jack knew that Jennah could never replace Ella. That is one void that couldn’t be filled no matter how hard Jennah tried.
They climbed inside one of the cabs and Jennah gave the driver her address. Jack put his arm along the backside of the seat. The alcohol was really hitting him now. He felt his world start to spin around him. Closing his eyes, he laid his head back. Jennah scooted in, kissing his neck and along his jawline. He relished the gentle touches, his world around him and thought process were disappearing. The kisses continued and it only made Jack respond to her even more, despite the fact that he knew he shouldn’t be anywhere remotely close to Jennah right now.
By the time they arrived at the house, Jack had given into his craving to touch Jennah. She barely kept her hands to herself in the cab and no man in his right mind could stand his ground against her. Jack didn’t even want to stop her now, he wanted to give in to her. Jennah led them up to her front door. She fumbled with the keys to get it opened. Both of them were definitely letting the alcohol drive them as she turned and lunged at him, kissing him and pulling him into the house.
Once they got inside, Jack felt like he had been in the house before but he couldn’t place it. He barely remembered her address. She led him up the stairs to her bedroom. “You sure you want to do this?” she asked. Jack knew he had come too far now to stop, as much as his mind screamed for it. He answered her by capturing his lips against hers. The world around him kept spinning. Jennah broke away and teased him by slowly unzipping her dress. She turned to where her back faced him and let it fall to the ground. She turned and Jack saw a scar that sparked a memory. It was a scar that ran down from about where her shoulder blade was to under her arm on her ribs. It wasn’t a wide scar, only a line with stitch markings on the side, but it ran at a downward angle about six to eight inches.
“How did you get that scar?” he placed his fingers on it and ran it across the length of it.
“That? I can’t remember. Why?”
“No reason,” He knew the reason why but the mere chance was illogical. He flashed back to the night that Ella fell in the shower. She had broken through the glass door. He had to rush her to the emergency room when he noticed the cut wouldn’t stop bleeding.
Jennah tried to bring his attention back to the fact that he was naked by leaning into him kissing his jawline. As he started to get back in the moment, his phone rang.
“Sorry,” he pulled it out from his pocket and saw Paxton’s picture flash across the screen. He closed his eyes and knew that he needed to get home. She was probably just getting home herself from her shift. He now felt guilty for almost cheating on Paxton, he was acting no better than she did a couple years ago, “I have to go.”
“Why?” Jennah asked as she began to unbutton his shirt.
“I’m sorry I can’t do this. I’m engaged and it’s new. I think the alcohol is to blame here.”
“I see,” Jennah backed away. The look she gave Jack reminded him of Ella. He looked over and saw a door slightly ajar. Inside of it, he saw a toy box. “You have a child?” The question slipped out before he could stop it.
He saw Jennah look over at the nursery. “Dobry is the best thing in my life. She is the reason I breathe. Every moment with her reminds me how lucky I am to have her.”
Jack heard the familiar saying in his head, You are my moment, my breath of life. Don’t you forget that. He couldn’t say how many times he heard Ella say that.
“How old is Dobry?”
“I thought you were leaving and that’s none of your business.” Jennah became defensive. Jack knew that he was crossing into dangerous territory. He had just told her he was engaged and now he is asking about her child. No wonder she was starting to go into Mama Bear mode.
“I’m sorry, it’s just that you remind me of Ella.”
At the mention of Ella, her facial features changed. It was like she was trying to place the name and why it sounded so familiar. “She sounds special. Maybe you should run home to her.”
“I can’t. She is Duke’s late wife, but I should definitely go. I’m sorry about this.”
Jack walked out of the room and headed down the stairs. He had a nagging feeling that Jennah was hiding something. He saw her in the pictures that were placed as he was walking down the stairs. Each one she seemed to be so happy with her daughter. Soon it evolved to her daughter’s first few days after birth, the day of her birth. One picture made Jack freeze in mid-step. He was staring at Jennah with blonde hair, holding her new baby girl. Jack took a step closer and examined it.
“Jack?” Jennah called from the top of the stairs.
Jack turned and looked up at Jennah. Within seconds, Ella’s face flashed over Jennah’s. He blinked a couple times and looked back at the picture. His heart stopped. It couldn’t possibly be. He turned and faced Jennah. The worried look on her face, he had seen it before. Jack had a sobering feeling wash over him. He climbed the steps that led back up to her, “No, it can’t be.”
“What?”
“That scar on your side, you don’t remember how you got it?”
“No,” she crossed her arms in front of her. Jack knew he was probably scaring her but he needed to get his head on straight. See if this was even possible.
“Listen, I think it’s time for you
to go.” He heard the slight panic in her voice.
Jack reached into his pocket to grab his wallet. He pulled out the picture of him and Ella that he had tucked away. He held it up and showed it to her. “I think you are the girl in this picture.”
He watched as Jennah’s face examined it. He saw the look on her face when she realized how similar she looked to Ella. She shook her head as she handed the pictured back to him, “No, that’s not me. I think it’s time for you to leave.”
“Your scar says otherwise.”
“Lots of people have scars. If you don’t leave right now, I’ll call the police,” her voice was firm.
Jack tucked the picture back in his wallet. He turned and headed down the stairs. He didn’t want to cause a scene that would have the police come. He would sound crazy and drunk, probably ending up in the drunk tank. He knew that the woman standing at the top of the stairs was Ella. He knew it without a doubt. The only issue was proving it. If she were Ella, why was she parading around as someone else? Why is she just now coming back and why was she pretending not to know them?
***
Jennah waited a few moments after Jack left before she headed down to lock the door behind him. She didn’t know why she didn’t get the creeper/crazy vibe from him, but she was glad to now have him out of her house. She had learned a lot about Duke from Jack, but in the end, it was Duke who she wanted to be with, not Jack. Maybe it was for the best that he freaked out on her. There would be no regrets in the morning. With that thought, she turned and headed up to bed. She knew she had to go pick up Dobry from Audra’s in the morning.
TWENTY-ONE
Duke awoke to the sound of Jack rummaging through a closet. Groaning he looked over at his alarm clock to see that it was already past ten in the morning. Duke rubbed his eyes before rolling over on his back, trying to blink away the sleep. He remembered running out of Athens, chasing after a girl who he thought was Ella. She never appeared to him. He felt like such an ass for ditching Jennah like he did. He heard a box drop and Jack curse at it. Rolling out of bed, Duke put on a pair of sweats and went to see what Jack was up to.