There was a photo album on the desk, so Amanda grabbed it and slipped back under the blankets on the bed to check it out. Three pages in, it was apparent that this book was all about Melanie, Jackson’s sister. By all appearances, she’d been a beautiful girl with a bright smile.
There were photos of Melanie and Jackson, first with Jackson’s diploma in hand and Melanie still looking like a teenager and then with Melanie in a robe with a golden tassel on her mortarboard. Jackson’s goofy smile and thumbs up brightened what would normally be a more serious picture.
The next page held various photos of Chuck and Laura with Melanie. She was proudly displaying her diploma with Laura by her side while Chuck photo-bombed the picture from behind, holding rabbit ears over Laura’s and Melanie’s head. There was another picture of Laura and Melanie grinning up at Chuck, caught red-handed with his hands still in position behind them.
A happy family, by all accounts, and the pictures continued to tell the tale of Melanie’s graduation day, complete with snapshots of her with high school friends both before and after the ceremony.
A gentle knock had her slamming the book shut before she called out “Come in.” The doorknob turned and a tray appeared around the door before Amanda saw Laura’s face. She was wearing a bright smile and a purple sweater complete with kittens on it and she was carrying a tray loaded with fresh fruit, toast, orange juice and scrambled eggs.
“Good morning, dear,” Laura said, crossing the room with the tray. Amanda tried to slide the photo album under the sheets, but Laura set the tray down and picked up the book. “I see you’ve found Melanie’s scrapbook. I was hoping to finish it with her college graduation pictures, but she disappeared just two months before her graduation.”
Amanda didn’t know what to say. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to pry, it’s really none of my business.”
“Oh, don’t be silly,” Laura smiled, waving off her apology. “I’m glad I made this album so we could remember her smile, and I certainly don’t mind having others look at it.”
Amanda looked down at the tray on her lap. “What is all this?” The eggs had her mouth watering and reminded her it had been a long time since the tiramisu she’d laughed about with Myra.
“Now Amanda, please let an old woman spoil you a bit,” Laura said. “It’s been so long since I’ve had a daughter to spoil and I’ve missed it so much—please don’t fuss about a little breakfast in bed.”
Amanda’s cheeks colored, but she simply said, “Thanks.” She picked up the fork and began attacking the eggs. “What kind of jelly is that?” She pointed with the fork at the dark jar on the tray.
“It’s homemade rhubarb jam,” Laura chuckled. “A Brennan family secret recipe.” She winked at Amanda, drawing a smile. “Okay, it’s not that much of a secret, but we are proud of our jam.”
Standing, Laura smiled down at Amanda. “If you want to see some really funny pictures, check out the albums on the shelves in the living room,” she shared conspiratorially. “Those are from Jack’s childhood.” Her eyes twinkled and she turned for the door.
“I’ll leave you to enjoy your breakfast,” Laura said. “Take your time—there are towels and things in the bathroom just like last time. You and I are the only ones here this morning, so don’t rush.”
“Oh, where’s Jack?” Amanda couldn’t help herself. The words were out before she could stop them, so in an attempt to appear unconcerned, she asked about Chuck as well.
“Well, Jack headed home because he had to work this morning and Chuck is out on his bike,” Laura explained. “Jack said he’d call around lunchtime to check on you.” She watched Amanda’s face for a reaction, but Amanda gave herself credit for her superb acting job. She let none of her disappointment show as she took a bite of her toast and nodded.
Despite her unending annoyances and frustrations with Jackson, she was also frustrated with herself over the giddy way she responded whenever he was around. And now she had discovered she was also suffering from disappointment that he was not around. Face it girl, you’ve got it bad. You might as well admit you’re already half in love with him—hell, you’ve been half in love with him since he picked you up that first night.
Half an hour later, Amanda had finished her eggs and fruit and she was flipping through the rest of the album while working her way through her toast. The memories displayed on the pages were beautiful, a beautiful display of Jackson’s family and their love and commitment to each other.
Setting the book aside, she slid out of bed and walked to the dresser. She chose a worn blue t-shirt with a faded cross and a Bible verse on it and then selected a pair of soft jeans. Looking at the two simple bras in the top drawer, she realized she didn’t have one with her, so she shrugged and chose a pale yellow one and headed for the bathroom across the hall.
She opened the door and ran straight into a hard body, catching herself with her hands on familiar biceps as she looked up into Jackson’s shocked expression.
Jackson’s arms tightened around her involuntarily, steadying her for a moment before dropping to his sides. He stepped back quickly before realizing how sexy she looked in the sleep shirt as it clung in all the right places before stopping suddenly at a spot just south of…Oh. My. God. I can’t get out of this one myself, God. She looks so innocent and fresh and I just want to kiss her senseless. Okay, God, that’s not all I want to do with her, so you’ve really got to help me out here.
“Oh, Jack,” Amanda said, her throat tightening when she saw his eyes narrow and his struggle to stay focused on her face. “I didn’t know you were here, I mean, your mom said you were calling at lunch, and…” She was babbling and she had no idea what she was saying, because her brain suddenly seemed to have shut down.
Jackson’s mouth was dry, and he focused on a spot just over her shoulder, determined to fight through this temptation without giving in. “I’m sorry, I should’ve called first, but I was worried about you,” he said. He realized how stupid that sounded. “I mean, I didn’t like that I had to leave without telling you where I was going and I know you’re fine here with mom and dad, but I just wanted to check on you.”
Now Jackson was the babbling idiot and he just couldn’t resist taking another peek at those endless legs. “I was just about to take a shower,” she said lamely. Great, yeah, now you just can’t help seeing Jack in the shower with you. Shut up, Amanda!
Jackson swallowed, but the lump in his throat grew larger. His voice was hoarse when he finally spoke. “Yeah, um, okay I’ll let you get to it then,” he said. He moved right to let her pass, but she’d moved left to go around him and they found themselves close enough to exchange breaths.
His hands came to her waist, and he told himself it was just to move her out of the way, but when he felt her warm skin through the thin shirt, his fingers tightened enough to have Amanda sucking in a breath. Her spare clothes slipped to the floor as her arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer.
Their breathing was mingling, lips dangerously close, but Amanda refused to be the one to complete the connection this time. “Kiss me, Jack,” she begged. His forehead rested on hers and his eyes were closed as his hands fisted together at the small of her back. The action pulled her shirt up another inch as it bunched under his hands.
He gripped the shirt, aching to slip his hands under the edge of the silky material to find the hot flesh beneath it. Pressing closer, they stood, core to core, trembling, but the sound of the back door had them springing apart.
“Jack? Is that your car I heard pull up a few minutes ago?” Laura’s cheery voice rounded the corner before she came into view, summing up the situation by the looks on their faces, the harsh breathing and the electric charge in the air. Yep, you were right, God, she’s the one.
Smiling smugly, she moved forward to hug Jackson, pretending not to notice his white face and the fact that he’d yet to greet her. Amanda was wearing an equally white expression and although she certainly
didn’t condone sex outside of marriage, Laura was happy to discover her son had found his match and was having a hard time staying away from her.
“Amanda, I was just doing some yard work and I thought I’d come in to see if you needed anything, but you just take your shower and we can chat afterwards,” Laura said amiably. Amanda nodded and swept past Jackson, careful to keep her distance.
She shut the bathroom door and leaned against it, pressing her hand to her stomach, which was still swimming with the butterflies that had been madly fluttering during their exchange. Then she grinned, sure of one thing now: She was in love with Jackson, and she was pretty sure he was falling for her too.
Chapter 18
Jackson berated himself as he followed his mother down the hall to the kitchen. She tidied up an already neat kitchen, wiping gleaming appliances and a sparkling countertop while she waited for Jackson to speak.
“I can’t get her off of my mind,” Jackson admitted. He sat in the nearest chair, tipping it back on two legs as he did so often as a teenager. Frowning, Laura motioned for him to lower the chair, which he did with a sheepish grin.
“Well, that’s a start,” Laura smiled at him as she set a mug under the automatic coffee maker. The water was already hot, and the push of a button started the brewing cycle as she turned to face him. “At least you can admit it. Are you in love with her, son?”
Jackson sat straight up at the question. “Mom, that’s crazy,” he began, but at her knowing look, he stopped short. “Maybe. I don’t know. I’m so confused.” Running his hands through his hair, Jackson sat back, looking at his mother expectantly.
Knowing he was waiting for her words of wisdom, she shocked him when she burst out laughing. “Jack, I love you, but I’m not going to tell you what to do,” she said. She leaned against the counter after putting the rag in the sink. “So, tell me why you’re so confused.”
Laura brought the steaming mug of coffee to the table and placed it in front of him before taking a seat across from Jackson. Then she waited. “I know that I like her,” he started. “I like her a lot and that’s gotten me in trouble a bit. She’s gorgeous, and I can’t seem to remember what she does for a living when I’m around her.” He paused for a sip of the scalding beverage.
“She’s funny too, and although we’ve spent a lot of the time fighting, when we’re not fighting or jumping over my standards, we’ve actually had quite a few laughs together,” Jackson continued, remembering their short interlude before getting fast food on the night of the fundraiser. He chuckled, and his dad chose that moment to come in from the garage.
“What’s funny?” Chuck set his helmet on the counter went straight to the cupboard and pulled down his own mug before heading to the coffee maker. Selecting his pod, he pushed the button and turned around, folding his arms across his chest as he waited for an explanation.
“Jack is in love with Amanda,” Laura said, as Jackson spit his coffee across the table.
“Mom!” Jackson looked at her and shook his head. “I told you I don’t know for sure how I feel.” He rolled his eyes, but his dad just grinned.
“Anybody with eyes could tell that you’ve got the hots for that girl, but anyone who really knows you can see the truth behind your stares and blushing, son,” Chuck said, picking up his mug after spooning a hefty amount of sugar into the dark liquid.
“Dad! Okay, you two, seriously, get a grip and stop dreaming of grandchildren,” Jackson said, getting to his feet. “This conversation is not helping me at all. After talking with you last night, dad, I checked out Hosea again this morning.” He paced around the kitchen with his coffee before stopping in front of the cookie jar.
The faded paint and chipped ear had been left just the way it was during his childhood, a testament to the rough and tumble lifestyle he’d shared with his younger sister. The fat pig sat smiling, waiting for him to slip his hand in for the familiar chocolate chip cookies his mother constantly kept in the jar. He still couldn’t resist the pig.
He bit into one of the cookies as he contemplated what to say. “I am falling for Amanda,” he admitted. “But she’s not a believer and she doesn’t seem interested in any of the things that are important to me when it comes to that side of my life. And I’m certainly no Hosea. I know God can work in her life, but I don’t know how to set aside my attraction to her since every time I’m around her I just want to kiss her senseless, and I’m pretty sure God’s not telling me to marry a hooker.”
“Well, I guess we need to pray about that then,” Chuck said. Laura and Jackson nodded and leaned forward to join him.
Amanda was loitering under the hot water, letting it pound away at the kink in her neck while she put her brain in gear. What was she going to do next? Jackson was definitely attracted to her, but he was obviously fighting it. Every time they were together, that electric charge was in the air, but there was more to him than that.
Laura and Chuck reminded her of her own parents and what she’d given up when she ran out on them. She was starting to believe she’d made a mistake in leaving in the first place. What had been so important about getting to Hollywood that she couldn’t finish college first? You had to be right.
When Bill and Susan couldn’t see her point and support it, she hadn’t stopped to ask why. She’d just bolted with nothing more than the clothes on her back and the money from her savings. She’d gone straight to the bank to withdraw the money and then headed for the Greyhound station for a one-way ticket to Los Angeles.
Amanda thought back to that day, remembering the call from her older sister just hours after she’d gotten on the bus.
“Mandy, you’ve got to come back,” her sister Angela pleaded, tears thickening her voice. “Mom is a wreck and Dad isn’t speaking to anyone. Please! Brandon is on his way home from Dallas right now to be with them, but this is not like you. Please come home.”
“No, Angie, you know I can’t do that,” Amanda said, determined to keep her emotions at bay. She hadn’t seen Brandon in three months, since Christmas, but she knew how he would respond too. “I’m going to L.A. and that’s that. I’ll call you when I get there. Don’t worry about me. Don’t call me.”
“Mandy, please, you don’t—“ Angela’s voice was cut off in mid-sentence when Amanda flipped her phone shut. It immediately rang again, but she punched the button to silence the phone and slipped it inside her purse. When she’d arrived in L.A., her purse, including her phone, had been stolen within moments and she’d never looked back.
Snapping herself back to reality, Amanda stepped out of the shower after turning the water off. She grabbed one of the thick towels rolled up in the basket on the shelf and wrapped it around herself before wrapping another one around her head.
She combed her hair, brushed her teeth and pulled on Melanie’s shirt and jeans before padding barefoot out to the kitchen. Her lack of heels allowed her to approach the kitchen unnoticed, and she realized that once more, she was interrupting Jackson and his parents during a prayer.
These people pray all the frickin’ time! And they’re praying for me again! Amanda listened closely after she heard her name, but then she realized Laura’s words were also for Jackson’s benefit.
“Just keep him in line, Lord, and help him to be a good example to Amanda,” Laura said. “Whatever your will is, we want it to be done, but we sure do like this girl, whether she likes us or not. Please help us show your love to her, so she can see how much you really love her and want something amazing for her. Amen.”
The three raised their heads in unison, but Jackson was the first to see Amanda frozen in the doorway. “Amanda, hi.” He jumped up and moved towards her, but made no effort to touch her.
Chuck stood up and walked right over to her and put his arm around her. She stiffened, but he acted like he didn’t even notice. “Good morning, hon,” he said. “What do you feel like doing this afternoon?”
“Well, I guess if I’m gonna live with you for free in exchange for cooking
and cleaning, I better find out what you like to eat and how you like things cleaned,” Amanda said. She sighed, took a seat, and poised herself for the onslaught.
Laura and Chuck exchanged a surprised glance, and Jackson could tell they had no idea what to say to her. “Um, why don’t we take our coffee outside and let mom and dad talk about your chores, I mean, duties,” he said. “Wow, that still didn’t come out right. Let’s let them talk about how you can help them out.”
Amanda shrugged, but she followed him outside, accepting the mug he offered her when the coffee was done brewing. They sat at a picnic table that was perfect for backyard barbecues, but neither one could figure out what to say. Her fingers itched to touch him, but Jackson was keeping a solid distance between them.
“So,” he said at last. “Dad and I were planning to head back in to get your stuff this afternoon if that’s okay with you.”
Amanda sat up quickly. “I’m going with you,” she said. Jackson was already shaking his head, so she placed both hands on the wooden tabletop and stood up, giving her a position designed to stop him in his tracks. As usual, it didn’t work.
“Amanda, you know I can’t let you do that,” he started. “It’s too dangerous, because Billy knows where you live now. If he sees you there, it will just make things worse, but dad and I can be in and out in five minutes.”
“But you don’t know where everything is,” Amanda argued. “Plus, if the landlord sees two guys going into my apartment, he might call the cops, even if you have a key.”
“What do you mean, we don’t know where everything is? I thought it was a fairly simple and small apartment from the way you described it the other night,” Jackson said.
Hot Pink Heels (The Street Series) Page 11