by Shirley Jump
“She seems really nice,” Jack said. “And she definitely likes you.”
A big, goofy grin spread over Dan’s face. “I sure like her, too. More and more every day.” Dan toyed with the paper wrapper before him. “You’re okay with me dating? I mean, it’s got to be kind of weird.”
“You and my mom divorced years ago, Dad.” Even though Dan was his stepfather, he’d been in Jack’s life for so long, calling him Dad seemed natural. Jack’s real father had left him the business, and not much else, letting his work keep him from seeing his son, and leaving the raising of Jack up to Dan and Helen. Probably for the best, because Dan had been a hell of a stepfather. Jack, Senior had been about as warm and fuzzy as a porcupine.
Still, there’d always been that part of Jack that had craved a relationship with his biological father. Maybe because then he could have the answers he wanted about why Jack, Sr. had walked away from his family. Why he had chosen work over his son. In the end, Jack had realized his father lacked the capacity to love others first. And that he had been damned lucky to have Dan, who had shown him the way a good father acted.
“I want you to be happy, too,” Jack said to Dan, and meant the words.
“Me, too. And hopefully, I do it right this time.”
“About doing things right...” Jack sighed. “There’s something you should know. Helen is the widow of one of the business owners that Knight put out of business.”
“She mentioned something about her husband’s company going under after some investors stepped in. I wondered about the connection.”
Jack toyed with the napkin. “I was the one that talked Tom into signing with Knight. At the time I was working for my dad and—”
Dan put a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t need to explain. We all make mistakes, Jack. We all screw up. The point is you learned and you changed. You’re not that man anymore.”
Jack nodded, as if he agreed. But he wondered how much distance he had placed between himself and the father he’d idolized. He’d tried so hard to be like him, to get past the wall between them. Had it been at the expense of his heart?
“Why did you and my mom get divorced?” It was a question Jack had never asked. Maybe because he’d been too busy working when the announcement came. Maybe because it was easier to bury himself in work than to call his mom or Dan and ask what had happened. Yet another item to add to his “not good at” list. Family relationships.
Tanya was right. He was cold and uninvolved. He’d cut off the relationships part of his life for far too long. He needed to find more ways to connect, to care. Because if he didn’t, he could see the writing on the wall—Jack, Jr., was going to morph into Jack, Sr.
He’d come so close to doing exactly that. Then one day he’d looked in the mirror before the biggest deal of Knight’s history, and realized he had become his father, from the mannerisms to the crimson power tie. Jack had walked out of the bathroom, quit his job and walked away.
Dan sighed. “As easy as it would be for me to blame Sarah, truth is, I was a terrible husband.”
“You were a great stepdad, though.” There’d been after-school softball games in the yard, impromptu weekend camping trips and annual father-son vacations. Dan had gone to every track meet, every Boy Scout canoe trip, every award ceremony.
“Thanks, Jack. You weren’t so bad as a stepson yourself.” Dan grinned. “But your mother and I, we just didn’t have what it took. When we got married, it was a fast decision. Too fast, some would say. We married a week after we met. Crazy, but gosh, I just didn’t think it through. I just said I do. By the time I realized we were like oil and water together, it was too late. I’d already started considering you my son, and I couldn’t bear leaving. We tried to stick it out after you grew up, but by that time, we’d become two different people, living separate lives. If I had plugged in more, or tried harder, maybe we wouldn’t have ended up that way.” He sighed. “It was like our marriage died a long, slow death. We were always friends—and we still are—but that wasn’t enough to make it work.”
Jack had noticed years ago that his mother and Dan rarely hugged or kissed or went out alone. There’d been no drama, no fights, just a quiet existence. Jack couldn’t think of anything more agonizing and painful than that. If he ever settled down, he wanted a woman who challenged him, who made his life an adventure.
A woman like Marnie?
Want if he ended up repeating his father’s mistakes? Leaving his wife for one woman after another, ignoring his child, in favor of his company? There was no guarantee Jack would end up doing that, or end up a good man like Dan, but Jack’s cautious and logical side threw up a red caution flag all the same.
“I’m glad your mother is happy now with that new guy she’s dating,” Dan said, bringing Jack back to their conversation. “What’s his name? Ray? Seems like he’s perfect for her.”
Jack had only met Ray once, but he’d have to agree. His mother’s new boyfriend was an outgoing, friendly guy who enjoyed the same things as she did—traveling, bike riding, and charitable work. “She needed someone busier than her,” Jack said with a chuckle.
Jack’s exuberant, spontaneous stepfather had driven his mom crazy sometimes. She was a stick-to-the-schedule, organized woman who never got used to Dan’s unconventional approaches. Jack liked to think he’d taken on the best of both their traits. Some of the impulsivity of his stepfather, and some of the dependable keel of his mother. Ray’s personality was much closer to Sarah’s, which had made them a good fit.
“This time, I’m going to work damned hard to make sure me and the woman I marry are on the same path,” Dan said. “And that I let her know all the time how much I appreciate her. Life’s too damned short to spend it alone, you know?”
Jack nodded. He’d been feeling the same way himself lately. Was it just because he’d met Marnie? Because he was tired of being alone? Or because he’d glimpsed his future and didn’t like the picture it presented? Workaholic, glued to his desk. A repeat of his namesake’s choices. Not the future Jack wanted. “You deserve happiness, Dad. You really do.”
“Thanks, Jack. That means a lot.” Dan took a bite of his sandwich, swallowed, then looked at Jack and a teasing smile lit his face. “How are things going with the daughter?”
“You mean Marnie?” Jack said the word like he didn’t know who Dan meant. Like he hadn’t been thinking about Marnie almost non-stop for days.
“She’s smart and beautiful, and a hell of a catch, according to her mother. And yes, we have been talking about you two and conspiring behind your backs. We both think you’d be a fool to let her get away.”
Get away? He couldn’t seem to get her to stay. “She’s made it very clear that she’s not interested in me.”
Well, not exactly crystal clear. There was the matter of that kiss. Mixed messages, times ten.
“I think Marnie’s figured out my connection to her father’s business. It’s no wonder she hates me. Seriously, I hate myself for some of the decisions I made back then.”
Dan waved that off. “So? You make better decisions now. That’s what counts. We’re all allowed a little stupidity.”
Jack grinned. “Either way, I won’t blame Marnie if she wants to tie me to a stake and light a fire at my feet.”
“Since when have you let a little roadblock like that hold you back?” Dan chuckled. “Listen, I saw the truth all over her face outside the restaurant the other day. She likes you.”
Jack snorted.
Dan leaned an arm over his chair. “You know, there is a way to make her prove it.”
“What? A little Sodium Pentothal?”
Dan chuckled then leaned in and lowered his voice. “Have her take you on as a client. When she tries to fix you up, she’ll see that the best possible match is...”
“Her.” Jack let that thought turn arou
nd in his head for a while. “It could work. But, I don’t know, Dad. I haven’t exactly done a good job of balancing work and a life thus far. There’s only twenty-four hours in a day and it seems like twenty-three of them are dedicated to the business.”
Well, maybe less than that, if he counted the hours spent walking around Boston with Marnie, then at the gym trying to stop thinking about Marnie, and this morning, avoiding the office because all he could do was think about Marnie.
Distracted had become his middle name. Not a good thing right now. He had three pending deals this month, a few other recently acquired companies that still needed his guiding hand, and a To Do list a mile long. And yet, here he was, sitting with Dan and talking about Marnie. He made no move to leave.
Nor did he answer the nagging doubts in his head. The ones that said all he was doing was making excuses. Because that was easier than getting involved—and being the kind of human iceberg that had ruined relationships before.
“Chicken,” Dan teased.
“I’m not chicken. I’m busy. There’s a difference.”
“Bawk, bawk,” Dan said, flapping his arms in emphasis. “You are, too. It’s time you had a life, Jack, instead of just watching from the sidelines.”
He bristled. He’d had the same thoughts, but wouldn’t admit it. “I do have a life. I go out, I go to the gym—”
“You exist. That’s different.” Dan clapped a hand on his shoulder, and his light blue eyes met Jack’s square-on. “You deserve to be happy. Your father...well, I don’t like to speak ill of the dead, but your father wasn’t exactly citizen of the year. But that doesn’t mean you’ll turn out like him. Don’t let one bad apple spoil the rest of the batch.”
Jack chuckled. “How many trite phrases do you have in you?”
“As many as it takes to get you over to Marnie’s office, and back out into the dating world. Who knows, maybe she’ll find your perfect match for you.”
“I thought the goal was for her to realize she was the right one for me.”
“I’m thinking it might need to work both ways,” Dan said. “Now get out of here and go over there before you chicken out.”
“Very funny,” Jack said. He got to his feet and tossed his trash in the bin, then said goodbye to his stepfather and left the deli. He stood on the corner for a long moment. To the north lay the office and a thousand responsibilities. To the east, Marnie and a thousand risks.
* * *
“What has you all distracted today?” Erica, Marnie’s little sister, said. She was sitting at the desk across from Marnie, while the two of them worked on a menu for the annual client thank-you party. Erica had inherited their father’s dark brown locks, but the same green eyes as the other Franklin girls. Two years younger than Marnie, she was the bubbly one in the family, filled with more energy than anyone Marnie had ever met.
“Me? I’m not distracted.”
Erica laughed. “Uh-huh. Then why did you write the same thing three times on this list? Do we really need that many napkins?” She pointed to a paper sitting between them. “And you’ve been staring off into space for the last ten minutes. Heck, most of the day I’ve had to repeat myself every time I’ve talked to you. This is totally not like you, oh, organized one.”
“Sorry. It’s just been a busy day.” A lie. She had been distracted by thoughts of Jack Knight. What was it about that man? He was the enemy. A man she had done a good job of despising for years.
When she went for coffee with him yesterday, it had been to gather information and come up with a plan for a little revenge. Instead, he’d turned the tables with that kiss.
And what a kiss it had been. As far as kisses went, that one ranked high on Marnie’s Top Ten list. She’d gone home after the coffee, and spent half the day doing what she was doing now—daydreaming and wondering how she could be so attracted to a man yet despise him at the same time. Maybe it was some kind of reverse psychology at work.
Or maybe it was that Jack Knight could kiss like no man she’d ever met, and just the mere thought of him sent a delicious rush through her.
God, she was a mess. She needed to get back on track, not keep letting Jack derail her. If there was one thing Marnie excelled at, it was holding on to the reins. She had her business and her apartment organized to the nth degree, her planner filled with neat little squares. She made quarterly goal lists, daily agendas, and didn’t go off on crazy heat-filled dates with Mr. Wrong.
Most of the time, anyway.
Then why had she kissed Jack back? Why had she let him get close? All the more reason to get a grip and get back to work.
The door opened and a burst of yellow rushed into the room. “Oh. My. God. You guys are the best!” a female voice screeched.
“Oh, no,” Erica whispered and rolled her eyes. Marnie sucked in a fortifying breath.
Every time she arrived, Roberta Stewart’s giant personality exploded. A tall, gangly woman, Roberta’s decibel-stretching voice entered a room long before she did. Marnie had known her since the first day she opened her doors, one of her first clients—and one of her least successful. Roberta was likeable, smart, and funny, but few people dated her long enough to realize that, because her first impression was so loud and busy. No matter how many times Marnie tried to counsel Roberta to tone it down just a bit, she didn’t listen. And the men ran—until they were out of earshot.
Today, Roberta had on a sunny yellow dress that swirled like a bell around her hips, and a wide-brimmed matching hat trimmed with silk orchids. She let out a dramatic sigh, then plopped onto the sofa in the waiting area, her dress spreading across the brown leather like melting butter. “I just came from my third engagement party of the year! You guys did it again!” Roberta shook her head. “Amy and Bob looked so happy!”
“I’m glad,” Marnie said, thinking of the cycling enthusiast couple she had put together a few months ago. “They’re a great match.”
“And now it’s my turn!” Roberta jumped to her feet and clasped her hands together. “So, who do you have for me this week? Tell me, who’s my new Mr. Right?”
“Things didn’t work out with Alan?” Marnie had really hoped the bookish accountant would be a great counterbalance to Roberta’s exuberance.
“Alan, shmalan.” Roberta waved a hand in dismissal. “I need a man with verve! Life! Energy! Strength! Somebody’s got to keep up with all this!” She swiveled her hips. “And poor Alan was ready to pass out before we even reached the second nightclub. Give me a man who takes his vitamins!”
“Maybe you should try a quiet dinner for your first date,” Erica said. “Rather than all-night salsa dancing.”
“But these shoes and this body were made for dancing,” Roberta said. “I need a man who can keep up with me. Call me as soon as you have another one. Oh, and please make sure he’s had a stress test before the date. I was a little worried poor Alan’s heart was going to go kaput!” She gave them a wave, then headed back out the door.
“Ah, Roberta. Always a memorable visit,” Erica said once the door shut. “Who are you going to match her with now?”
“I have no idea. I like Roberta, but she needs a very special man.” One that had yet to come along, though not for a lack of trying on Marnie’s part. Maybe such a bachelor didn’t exist in Boston. Or the greater New England area. Or maybe even on planet Earth.
No, there was someone perfect for Roberta. Marnie just hadn’t found him yet. He needed to be a unique man, strong yet confident enough to be with a woman like her.
“Speaking of men,” Erica said, “I have a date. Mind if I knock off early?”
“Nope. There are no appointments the rest of the day. I’m just going to finish up this menu, and then head home myself.”
“Be sure you do,” Erica said softly, laying a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Take a little time to let go an
d just be, sis. Okay?”
“I do.”
Erica laughed. “No, you don’t. But maybe if I tell you to do it often enough, you finally will.”
CHAPTER FIVE
AFTER ERICA LEFT, Marnie sat in her office, the music cranked up on the mini sound system beside her desk, and hammered out the rest of the details for the next few Matchmaking by Marnie events. She spun around in her chair, facing the window that looked out over Brookline, tapping her feet against the sill in time to a catchy pop tune. She’d kicked off her shoes, and let her hair out of the clip that held it in its usual bun. She grabbed a half-eaten bag of chips and started snacking while she watched the traffic go by, singing along between bites, and enjoying her moment of solitude.
“So this is how a matchmaker works her magic.”
Marnie gasped, dropped her feet to the floor and spun around, a chip halfway to her mouth, while several more tumbled onto her lap. She wanted to crawl under her desk and hide, or at least shrivel into a bowl. She told herself she didn’t care that her hair was a mess, she was covered in potato chip crumbs, and she’d been caught signing off-key to a teenybopper hit.
“Jack...uh, I mean, Mr. Knight,” she said, then covered her mouth and paused to swallow. Did she really think calling him by his last name would erase that kiss, the way he made her feel with a simple smile? That it would put up a wall he couldn’t pass? She forced authority into her tone. “What are you doing here?”
Even in a dark gray suit, with his pale blue tie loosened at the neck, he looked sexy, approachable. Hard to resist. “I’m looking for a matchmaker,” he said. “And you come highly recommended by a close family member. Apparently my stepfather has fallen head over heels for your mother.”
“I’ve heard all about it, too.” There was no denying the happiness in Helen’s voice. Marnie had talked to her mother earlier today and heard nothing but joy. Hearing that Helen’s feelings were reciprocated—
Well, that was what Marnie worked for. The cherry on top of all the work she put in, building that matchmaker sundae. Except her mother was falling for a man with ties to someone who could hurt their family all over again.