She paused in the hall, probably trying to remember where she’d left her purse. She found it on the table in the foyer, and immediately began fumbling around inside of it. He guessed that she was probably looking for her keys, but she was too flustered to see that they were beside the bag on the table.
“If this was part of your plan to change my mind about moving in, it didn’t work.” He picked up the ring of keys that were on the table, dangled them in front of her eyes. When she reached for them, he closed his hand—capturing her hand along with the keys. “If anything, I’m even more committed now. And I’m going to get under your skin the way you’ve gotten under mine.”
“I thought this was about Ava.”
“Ava is only part of the whole equation.”
“Ava’s the only part that matters,” she insisted.
He didn’t argue. There was no point when he knew she would only give him the cold shoulder and walk out the door. But she wouldn’t be able to do that when they were living under the same roof.
“If you’re rushing home to get my room ready before moving day, you should know that I only sleep on Egyptian cotton.”
“Bring your own damn sheets.”
“Language,” he chided gently. “You wouldn’t talk that way in front of our daughter, would you?”
She tugged the keys out of his grasp, giving him the satisfaction of knowing that she wasn’t so cool or reserved right now.
“And I’m going to need a key,” he said, his tone mild.
She yanked the door open—and found herself face-to-face with Lukas.
Jack, experiencing an odd and uncomfortable sense of déjà vu, immediately took a step back.
“Well, this is...unexpected,” Lukas noted.
“I have to go get Ava,” Kelly said to his brother.
Jack waited until she was halfway out the door before he said, “Don’t forget about the key.”
Her response was an anatomical impossibility that had Luke’s eyebrows lifting.
“Do I want to know what you did to warrant such a reply?” his brother asked when Kelly had stomped off down the hall.
“Probably not.” Jack wandered into the kitchen, keeping a safe distance between himself and his brother. He pulled two bottles of beer out of the fridge, offered one to Luke. When it was accepted, their unspoken truce was sealed.
“Any particular reason you stopped by?”
“To drink your beer,” Luke said easily.
“Anytime.”
“And to find out if the rumors are true. I heard through Matt, because Ava told Georgia, that you’re moving in with your daughter and her mother.”
“It’s true. For a three-week trial period, anyway.”
“Whose idea was this?”
“Ava’s.”
“What does Kelly think of the plan?”
“She wants to do what’s best for Ava.”
“Is that why she was here?”
Jack sipped his beer. “Can we maybe talk about something that isn’t going to make you want to hit me?”
Lukas flexed his fingers. “I’m not going to hit you,” he said. “Aside from the fact that your jaw’s like a rock and I need my hands for surgery, I’m starting to see that there’s more going on here than the simple fact that you knocked up my best friend thirteen years ago.”
The words made him more wary than if his brother had clenched his fists. “What are you talking about?”
“You and Kelly. I never saw it way back when, but I realize now that I should have. And I can’t help but think that the two of you might have ended up together if I hadn’t interfered.”
“Nothing that happened was your fault.”
“I went to you for advice, because she told me that she was in love and re-evaluating her future plans. She was so close to finishing school, and I was afraid she was thinking about dropping out. I didn’t know the guy she’d fallen in love with was you—or that she was pregnant.”
“I’d already decided, long before you ever talked to me, that I had to make it clear to Kelly that our relationship wasn’t going anywhere.”
“Because you didn’t love her?” Luke challenged. “Or because you did?”
“Because I was terrified of the way she looked at me, as if I was everything to her.”
“And you were afraid you’d disappoint her.”
“As I did, in spectacular fashion.”
His brother could hardly dispute the point. “So what do you want from her now?”
“Everything,” Jack admitted.
“I never could figure out why you became a serial dater after your divorce,” Luke said. “I didn’t believe it was a side effect of your failed marriage. It wasn’t until I saw you and Kelly together that I realized the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That you were never able to give your heart to any other woman because you’d already given it to Kelly.”
It was a truth that Jack had only recently acknowledged himself. But accepting his feelings for Kelly didn’t make it any easier for him to forgive her deception.
“You were in love with her then, and you’re still in love with her now,” Luke continued.
Jack wasn’t sure he was ready to use that particular word, so he only said, “I’ve never felt about anyone else the way I feel about Kelly.”
“They why were you smiling when she walked out of here cursing your very existence?”
“Because it proved that she isn’t indifferent to me.”
Luke shook his head. “I hope you know what the hell you’re doing.”
“So do I,” Jack admitted.
* * *
Kelly fluffed the decorative pillows on the bed and stepped back to survey her handiwork. She’d had more than a few doubts and second thoughts as she’d loaded up her cart at Betty’s Boudoir; she’d known her actions were both petty and immature. But she needed to do something, to take back just a little bit of control over a situation that was rapidly spiraling out of her control.
And, in a roundabout way, it had been Jackson’s idea.
That thought made her smile as she poured the rose-scented potpourri into the glass bowl on the bedside table.
As the estimated time of his arrival drew nearer, the doubts and second thoughts came back with a vengeance. But by that time, it was too late to undo what had already been done. Instead, she kept herself busy in the kitchen, stuffing pork chops for dinner.
Ava had offered to help, so Kelly had put her to work peeling potatoes. The relatively simple task took her daughter almost an hour, because every time she finished peeling one potato, she would wander into the living room to look out the front window, searching for her father’s car. It was as if she feared he’d drive right past the house if she wasn’t watching for him, and realizing how excited her daughter was about Jackson moving in only made Kelly feel guiltier.
When he finally did arrive, Kelly was almost as relieved as Ava—and more than a little worried that she might have started something she didn’t know how to finish.
* * *
Jack understood that Kelly had reservations about this arrangement. Hell, he had more than a few of his own. But he wanted to make it work, because it was what Ava wanted. And because it meant that he would get to see a lot more of his daughter and her mother.
He didn’t expect that Kelly would have rolled out the red carpet in anticipation of his arrival, and that was okay. Especially when Ava’s enthusiastic welcome more than compensated for her mother’s lackluster one.
“Is that all you brought?” Ava eyed the garment bag and small suitcase with obvious disappointment.
“I wasn’t sure how much room I’d have,” he explained. He didn’t remind her that this was a trial arrangement and tha
t it was entirely possible—probable even—that he would be moving out again in a few weeks.
“You’ve got two dressers and a walk-in closet,” she told him. “Can I help you unpack?”
“Sure.”
She skipped ahead of him down the hall and opened the door.
Jack stood frozen on the threshold. “Maybe I should have asked to see the room before I agreed to this plan.”
Ava peeked past him, her eyes widening. “I don’t think it looked like this before.”
His brows lifted. “How did it look before?”
“The walls were pink,” she admitted. “Cuz it was Mrs. Garrett’s mom’s room when she lived here. And there were pink pillows on the bed, but I thought the comforter was chocolate brown.”
He could have lived with chocolate brown with pink accents, especially if it was only for a few weeks. But he could not live in this, not even for one night.
Pink didn’t begin to describe it. The curtains that draped the wide window were sheer and ruffled and the color of bubblegum, and the ruffled shade on the lamp on the bedside table was the same color. The bed itself was covered in a spread of fuchsia satin and piled high with ruffled pillows in more shades of pink than he ever could have imagined.
He blinked once, then again. Unfortunately, each time he opened his eyes, the room remained unchanged.
“I can’t sleep in this,” he said. “I’ll have nightmares about satin ruffles.”
Ava’s smile faded, her gaze dropped. “You’re not going to stay?”
“I’m staying,” he promised her. No way was he letting Kelly get rid of him that easily. “But I’m going to make a few changes in here.”
“What kind of changes?”
“Do you have any boxes left from when you moved?”
“A whole pile in the basement.”
“Let’s get some of them up here so we can pack up these perfume bottles and doilies.” He looked at the pile of pillows on top of the satin spread and shuddered. “We’re going to need some garbage bags, too.”
* * *
As she’d been cooking, Kelly had decided that she would tell Jackson not to expect a meal on the table every night. She might have agreed to let him move in temporarily, but she wasn’t going to be his cook or his maid. But he ate with such enthusiasm, complimenting her on the pork chops, garlic mashed potatoes and buttered beans, that she couldn’t get the words out. Besides, whether she was cooking for two or for three, she had to cook, and it was a sincere pleasure to feed someone who obviously appreciated her efforts.
Kelly had always enjoyed creating in the kitchen, but in the past year, she’d had little opportunity—and less time—to prepare meals like this, and she and Ava had eaten more takeout than she wanted to admit.
Now that her schedule was more defined, she’d started looking in her cookbooks again and making grocery lists with specific recipes in mind. Although Ava would be happy with tacos or fajitas or nachos every night of the week, she wasn’t really a fussy eater, and Kelly was pleased to be able to offer different and healthier options.
When dinner was finished, Ava cleared the table and Jackson loaded the dishwasher. They worked well together, and as Kelly scrubbed up the pans, she realized it would be far too easy to fall into the rhythms and routines of a family—and far too tempting.
After her duties were done, Ava went upstairs to email Rachel. Jackson finished drying the pans, then said to Kelly, “There was a brown comforter in the dryer that Ava said I could use.”
“Sure, if that’s what you want,” she said agreeably. “I just thought the new one brightened the room.”
“I figured it was new, because it still had a price tag on it. So did the pillows and the curtains.”
She shrugged. “Just in case they weren’t to your taste and I had to take them back.”
“The comforter was on sale for seven dollars.”
“I thought I should try to be frugal, since you seem so concerned about my financial situation.”
“So you were looking in the clearance section, not the ugly section?”
“You don’t like ruffles and lace?”
He pinned her with his gaze. “I have no objection to ruffles and lace—especially if you’re wearing them. But I’m not sleeping in a room that looks like it was decorated by Barbie on crack.”
She felt her lips twitch. “The sheets are Egyptian cotton, as specified.”
“The sheets are fine,” he agreed. “It was everything else that had to go.”
“You put the idea of redecorating in my head—telling me what kind of bedding you wanted.”
“Obviously I didn’t realize how completely opposed to this arrangement you are.”
She shrugged. “I’ll deal with it.”
“I’m not often accused of being selfless, but I agreed to move in here because it was what Ava wanted and because it’s the only thing she’s ever asked of me. Well, this and a puppy,” he admitted. “But if it’s really a problem for you, I can try to make her understand that it just won’t work.”
“No,” Kelly said. “You’re right—we should at least give it a try.” And then, as if the other part of his comment had only just registered, she looked up at him. “She asked you for a puppy?”
He nodded.
“What did you say?” she asked warily.
“I told her we’d go to the animal shelter after school on Monday.”
Her jaw dropped. “You didn’t.”
“Okay, I didn’t,” he agreed. “I told her that she’d have to clear that with you.”
“Thank you.”
“But now I’m thinking that it’s not a bad idea.”
“Okay.” She held up her hands in mock surrender. “I’m sorry about the pink bedding.”
Jack seemed to consider her apology, and find it lacking. “I’ve always been partial to German shepherds.”
“And the curtains and doilies.”
“Although chocolate Labs are beautiful dogs, too,” he continued. “Lukas mentioned that he’d be seeing a litter of those soon.”
She sighed. “And I’m sorry about the perfume bottles and the potpourri.”
“Of course, a dog is a long-term commitment, and not one that should be undertaken without careful consideration.”
“Is that an offer of a truce?”
“Do you cook anything else that tastes as good as those pork chops?” he countered.
“How do medallions of beef tenderloin in a cabernet reduction sound?”
His smile was just a little bit smug. “Sounds like a truce to me.”
Chapter Eleven
The revelation that Jack Garrett was the father of Kelly Cooper’s daughter barely caused a ripple, but the news that he’d moved in to the house on Larkspur Drive raised more than a few eyebrows. Having grown up in Pinehurst, Kelly should have known better than to think that her private life would remain private, but she still worried about how the gossip and innuendo might affect Ava.
Not that her daughter seemed bothered by any of it. She was too happy to finally have a father—and two uncles, an aunt and three cousins—to worry about anything else. For most of Ava’s life, it had just been she and her mom on national holidays and at family events, and she embraced her new extended family with enthusiasm. Kelly just hadn’t yet figured out where she fit into the picture.
When the Parkdale Elementary School senior girls’ soccer team played in the championship game, the whole Garrett family was in attendance. Although the Panthers lost three to two in the final and Ava was undoubtedly disappointed that her medal said finalist rather than champion, her mood quickly lifted when Matt and Georgia invited everyone—including her BFF and Laurel’s family—back to their place for a barbecue.
After the meal,
Kelly helped Georgia with cleanup. It was the first chance they’d had for some one-on-one conversation since Jack had moved in and Kelly wasn’t surprised when Georgia asked, “So how’s it going, living under the same roof with your sexy and charming ex-lover?”
“It’s...awkward.”
“I was hoping for something a little juicier than that.”
Georgia’s unbridled disappointment made Kelly smile.
“Well, I can tell you that we’re both trying to make it work. And maybe we’re trying too hard. Our conversations are mostly formal and polite—sometimes painfully polite. I find I’m often biting my tongue when Jack says and does things that I know are intended to annoy me because I don’t want to fight with him and upset Ava.”
“Couples argue—it’s a fact of life.”
“We’re not a couple,” Kelly reminded her.
Georgia’s brows rose. “You live together, eat meals together, watch TV together and share parenting responsibilities. I don’t know what your yardstick is for comparison, but that says ‘couple’ to me.”
“We’re not sharing a bed,” Kelly pointed out.
“And whose fault is that?” her neighbor challenged. “Because I’ve seen Jack look at you, and if you’re not sleeping together, it’s not because he isn’t interested.”
“It’s because I’m more concerned with self-preservation than sexual gratification.”
Georgia shook her head. “Silly girl.”
Kelly chuckled, but her tone was serious when she said, “I just can’t risk it.”
“You’re afraid to fall in love with him again.”
“I’m not afraid, because I’m not going to let it happen.”
Her friend’s smile was sympathetic. “I wasn’t going to let myself fall in love with Matt, either, but it happened. Almost without me even realizing it.”
But Kelly shook her head stubbornly. This time her eyes were wide open and her heart was strictly off-limits.
* * *
Jack had spent the better part of the day in court and gotten absolutely nothing accomplished, so he was in a dark mood and not amenable to any new interruptions to his schedule. And then Kelly walked into his office.
His Long-Lost Family Page 15