Caroline didn’t really pay attention to what was on the TV as she waited, constantly looking from the clock to the door and back. She was so caught up in her anxious game that she didn't notice when she had company. "Caroline, I can’t see,” a small voice complained from behind her.
As Caroline turned, she saw Jonathan rubbing his eyes as he stood in his pajamas with a teddy in his hands. “Oh, dear. Come here, we can cuddle for a while, and then you’re going back to bed,” she scolded gently as she opened her arms to him.
With a smile, he walked toward her and climbed onto her lap. He nestled in and rested his head on her chest. Caroline changed the channel to something more child-appropriate, and together they sat watching cartoons. It didn’t take long before Jonathan fell asleep in her arms, his eyes fluttering gently until his tiredness won over. Caroline smiled to herself before she gently picked him up and carried him back to bed. She tucked him in and then turned to go back to the living room, her eyes landing on Jake, who was standing in the doorway.
“I didn’t hear you come in,” she said as she stepped forward, pushing past him while he followed.
“I had a feeling Jonathan would be sleeping so I didn’t want to make too much noise,” he explained as he stood behind Caroline, who switched off the TV then turned to face him.
She could smell the alcohol wafting from his breath, the cigarette smoke clinging to his clothes. She tried to hide her irritation and disappointment as she looked at him.
“I’m sorry I didn’t message you. I know how much you worry,” Jake said after a moment of silence.
Caroline felt conflicting emotions stirring in her chest. She was mad, but glad that he was home. She didn’t want to put her past on him. He was not responsible for the trauma she’d endured..
“I’m sorry I got upset, I just need to know that you’re okay. I just need to know you’re safe,” she said as she hung her head and leaned against the back of the couch.
After her accident, her anxiety had become a little worse, she had become a little more fixated on the safety of those around her. She didn’t want her concern to prevent her from living her life, from having new experiences, but she couldn’t stop herself from feeling uneasy about being out in the open. She was worried she would never look at cars the same way again, but she had to hope that once the aftermath of the accident actually wore off, she would be able to accept what had happened and enjoy her life.
“I know, I should’ve been more aware of what I was doing. I should've contacted you,” Jake apologized. He walked over to Caroline and placed his hands on her forearms, rubbing them gently.
“I shouldn’t put that much pressure on you. It’s not your fault that I need to work through some things. I guess I’ve just never cared about someone so much for such a long time. I'm just scared of losing you,” Caroline nearly choked the last words out as she rested her head against Jake's chest. She felt the grief that would cause just by picturing the unthinkable fate.
Jake wrapped his arms around her as he held her and stroked her hair. Caroline relaxed into him, wrapping her arms around his waist as she tried to just be in the moment.
“It’s not pressure, not at all. I haven’t had to think about anyone other than Jonathan for so long. Considering he's always had someone besides me looking after him, that's never been much pressure either. I’ve never cared for another woman like I do for you. I don’t want you to change the way you are, I just need to remember that it’s important to communicate in a relationship,” Jake assured as he kissed the top of her head.
Caroline appreciated Jake and his understanding side. She knew that from someone else’s perspective, she could seem overbearing, but it seemed that Jake understood her better than anyone ever had. She knew that was one of the reasons she had fallen for him. He had never judged her for acting the way she did, instead he understood the deeper meaning behind it.
“I’m so thankful that you understand me. I don’t want to come across as crazy. I guess I just worry too much,” she muttered into his chest.
“You don’t worry too much. It feels good to have someone concerned for me. I’ve never had that before. I suppose we both have a lot of growing to do when it comes to having a healthy relationship,” he said with a little laugh.
“You’re right. Anyway, how was your day? Did you have a good time with Jack?” Caroline asked as she pulled her head back to look up at Jake.
He bent down to kiss her before he moved to the kitchen and grabbed the plate Caroline had prepared for him so he could heat it up. “It was really good. It seems as if Jack has decided to be more responsible in his life as well as the business. He says he’s trying to get his life together,” Jake said as he waited for the microwave to ping.
“Oh, that’s new. What brought that on?” Caroline asked as she sat at the kitchen counter.
“Well, he said he just wants to be more involved. It seems he wants to finally have a family life and settle down,” Jake informed her as he grabbed the reheated food.
“That’s great. Do you think it will stay that way?” Jack had told Caroline many times that his brother wasn’t the type of man that stuck to his word. He had been a player, so if he wanted to settle down, it would be something completely different for him than his current lifestyle. Caroline hoped Jack was being truthful to his brother. She knew that, even though they had a rocky past, Jake would always help his brother, and so if he decided to drop the ball after a while, Jake would end up having to work twice as hard to keep the company thriving.
“I don’t know, but I can only hope. It would be great to see him make a better life for himself, especially if he plans on settling down and having a family of his own. I think it would be good for him,” Jake said.
Caroline could see the hope in Jake’s eyes, and she hoped too that his brother would stick to his word. Jack had been caring toward her when she had been in the middle of the two brothers, so she knew that he could be good to a woman if he really put himself out there and truly tried. Caroline knew that, like Jake, Jack was a good guy, and anyone would be lucky to be with him.
“I really hope that he sticks to his word. It would be good for him to finally make a family for himself, and of course, if he could actually start doing his job that would be great too,” she said.
“He’s actually said he wants to work harder too, so let’s see if he stays true to that,” Jake commented as he shrugged his shoulders.
It was clear that Jake was pretty apprehensive about his brother’s new motivation, but Caroline felt optimistic. “Let’s keep our fingers crossed. But for tonight, why don’t we just watch some TV?” Caroline asked.
Jake had finished his dinner, and after nodding his head in agreement, he placed his dish in the dishwasher before walking over to Caroline, taking her hand, and leading her over to the couch. It was just after 8 pm so the couple sat and watched a movie together before going to bed. Caroline, wrapped in Jake’s arms, finally felt relaxed. He was home now, and everything was as it should be.
Chapter Three, Jack’s on the Job
Jack sat at the bar alone after Jake left. He felt his heart sink as he pictured his brother going home to a beautiful woman while he sat alone in a bar with a drink in his hand. He was jealous of his brother, more than he had ever been before, but he knew that he could meet someone incredible if he really tried. He didn’t want to just continue drinking and partying his life away, so he paid for his drink instead of ordering another and made his way home.
Once Jack arrived, he sat in front of his TV and mindlessly looked at the screen, barely paying attention to what was on. His mind kept going over the new life that he wanted for himself. He had been with many women throughout his life, but he’d never been with one woman for very long. It had been fun while it had lasted, but it wasn’t fulfilling anymore. It was strange for him to have a change of heart. There were so many gorgeous women in the city that he would never have to spend the night alone if he didn’t want to. But he
just didn’t want meaningless sex anymore.
He wasn’t sure if he should go on blind dates, or create a dating profile, but he was hopeful that, eventually, he would figure it out and find the right woman. He didn’t want to go home to an empty house for much longer, so he knew that, starting the next day, he would have to put himself out there.
*******
The next day Jack woke up on the couch, having fallen asleep on it the night before. After making himself a quick breakfast, he showered and headed to work. He wanted to prove to his brother that he was serious about his new life, he wanted him to know that he wasn’t messing around. Of course, it was easy for his brother to assume that Jack was just making a halfhearted attempt at being more active in the company, he’d said that before, but this time he was going to prove everyone wrong. He really did want to make something of himself.
As Jack walked into the office, he saw that his brother hadn’t arrived yet, so after placing a coffee in front of Denise, he settled down at his own desk.
“So, how long do you think it will take before Jake believes that you’re sticking this out?” Denise asked as she joined him, standing in front of him at his desk. She had followed him after he had greeted her with the gourmet coffee.
“I don’t know, but I’m not going to give up any time soon. This is really what I want and I’m not joking around,” Jack insisted. “I know people think I’m not being serious, but since Caroline has come into our lives, I can’t help but feel that I’m missing something.”
“About that...I may know some eligible women. Would you like me to set you up on some blind dates?” Denise asked.
Jack thought about it for a moment and decided that he would take the offer. He could use some help getting the ball rolling, especially after promising himself today was the start of his new dating life.
“That would actually help me out a lot! I know a lot of women have passed my name around, and although I’m prepared to prove myself, I know I’ll need help getting women to go on dates with me in the first place,” Jack replied.
“Well, let me get in touch with some of the girls I know who will be a good match for you, and then I’ll make sure to get back to you,” Denise said with a sneaky wink before she walked back to her desk.
Jack was excited to see who Denise would set him up with, and he hoped that either he would meet someone he wanted to be with, or he would learn more about the dating scene since he had been out of it for so long. He hadn’t been on a real date with a woman in what felt like years, so he was sure he would need to learn how it all worked again. He was sure he'd have to go on more than a few dates before he found the right woman to settle down with, but he was willing to do whatever he had to just so he could be one step closer to the end goal.
Jack heard the elevator doors opening, and as he turned, he saw his brother walking into the office. He could see he was in a good mood, and even though he had left the bar the previous night concerned about how things would be with Caroline, he seemed to be fine.
“How did things go last night?” Jack asked.
“Not too bad. After Caroline and I talked, we moved forward. It’s so strange having someone in my life who actually wants to talk things through without doing something that could ruin the relationship,” Jake replied with a smile.
Seeing his brother so happy made Jack feel even more certain that he wanted what Jake had. He didn’t want to just go from woman to woman anymore. He wanted someone to fight for, someone who would fight for him too. He thought about all the times he had just walked out of a woman’s apartment after sleeping with her, and although he enjoyed the time they had shared together, he knew he wanted more than that. He had never really been in love before, and after getting such strong feelings for Caroline so quickly, he knew that he was ready.
“That’s good. I’m glad to hear it. It sounds like the two of you have a really healthy relationship which makes me happy. I want that too,” Jack told his brother earnestly.
He could see his brother assessing the situation and he knew Jake was waiting for him to change his mind and walk away from all this. Then, Jake’s face brightened and he clapped his brother on the shoulder.
“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?” Jake asked.
“I truly am. I’ve had my fun, I want more. I want a family. Something inside of me has changed and I'm jealous of the life you’ve got,” Jack admitted. “I want someone to come home to, I want a child at some point.”
“Wow. I mean, I don’t know what to say. If you’re truly serious about this, then I’ll be by your side, I’ll help however I can,” Jake replied.
“I really appreciate that, brother. I know it's hard to believe, trust me. But I think it’s time,” Jack said with a small smile.
Jack wasn’t sure if his brother would be of any assistance to him, but he felt better knowing that Jake was on his side. He knew they had drifted apart over the last few years because of his actions, and he wanted to mend their relationship. He wanted a better reason to wake up every morning. He wanted, more than anything else, to feel pride in himself.
“I think it’s time too. You’ve lived a very fun and adventurous life so far, who says you can’t enjoy that with someone by your side? I mean, I’d like to give Caroline the world so we could have adventures together,” Jake replied.
Jack had thought that he would always travel the world alone and sleep around because that was what he was used to. Before, he had never considered that, if he found the right person, he could still do the things he loved, just with a partner by his side.
“I think that would be amazing. I’d like to travel and explore the world with someone who would enjoy it as much as me,” Jack said.
“We’re going to have to get you on the dating scene then, aren’t we?” Jake prodded jokingly.
“It would probably be a good start,” Jack agreed with a laugh.
“Well, let’s get to work I suppose,” Jake said as he headed toward his office.
For the rest of the day, Jack focused on catching up on some of the work he had dropped. His brother was quick to send him all the work he needed to help out with, especially when it came to the work he had purposely left unread or unnoticed in his email.
It was a tough day for him, but he worked as hard as he could to catch up and just focus on moving forward. He knew it wasn’t all going to be done in one day, but he tried to get through as much as he could. It felt good to be working toward something..
When the end of the day finally arrived, Jack was exhausted. He had never worked so hard in his life, and he was sure that it would take some time to adjust to the new normal.
When Jake had wrapped up for the day, he left his office and strode over to Jack's desk. “Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?” he offered.
Jack was delighted by the prospect. He was relieved he wouldn’t have to spend another night alone. Hanging out with Jake and his little family would be a lot more fun than passing out on the couch in front of the TV, even though watching his brother and Caroline together would probably make him jealous.. “Yes, I would love to join you.”
“Perfect, I’m gonna head over there now, you can come over whenever you’re ready,” Jake said before he turned and left.
Jack took a moment to finish up his work and tidy his desk so it would be ready for the next day. He was determined to keep things neat so he could work in a clean environment. He hated to admit it, but Jake had been right. Working at an organized desk was certainly easier than working in a disaster zone of files and office supplies.
Once satisfied with his desk, he packed up his things and headed out of the office. He was alone, which amazed him. He had never been the last to leave.
He stopped at a store on his way so he could buy some flowers for Caroline and a bottle of wine for the three of them. Jack still had some weird feelings toward Caroline, but he wouldn’t dare overstep now that she was officially with his brother. He respected their
relationship, and he was happy that Jake had someone that truly cared about him. Jake deserved to be happy, especially after everything Jack had put him through over the years.
When he arrived at his brother's place, he could smell something delicious cooking. As he walked further into the house, he spotted his brother and Caroline dancing together in the kitchen. He waited in the hall for a moment, allowing them to enjoy their moment together.
After a few minutes, Jack announced himself. “Hi, guys,” he called as he sauntered into the kitchen.
With huge smiles on their faces, both Jake and Caroline turned to greet Jack. “These are for you,” Jack said, handing off the flowers to Caroline, then held up the wine, “and this is for all of us.”
Passion For Change (Jamyson Brothers Madison Heights Book 2) Page 2