“Good Vibes to you.”
“Sally, it’s Jack.”
She drew in a quick breath. “Yes?”
“You know we need to talk, right?”
She sighed. “Yes.”
“Are you busy, or can you take time off for lunch? I’ll bring food, unless you want to go out. Public dining can be iffy for me.” He stopped before confessing he knew she had both a seating area within the store and a small kitchen through the door behind her counter. Carlos had provided those details.
She answered after a long pause, or at least the elapsed time seemed extended.
“You’re right. We should talk. Here is fine, at one o’clock. I’m a vegetarian, so if you want me to eat with you, don’t bring hamburgers.”
“I remember.” Shit. He couldn’t know that. She’d been headed down the organic path not long before they split, but still cooked meat. A move to vegetarianism didn’t come until later, and he’d learned that through his investigator.
“Excuse me? Did you say you remembered a practice I didn’t have until after you left? Mind explaining?”
“Ah, Carlos mentioned your preference. He said you never forced meatless meals on him, which he was thankful about. We, ah, we were talking about good restaurants in the area.” Phew. Good thing he and Carlos had talked about steak joints yesterday.
“Uh, huh. I’d appreciate you and Carlos not discussing me and my habits in future, thank you.”
He wiped his forehead. “Sure, sure, sorry. The topic came up in conversation. We wouldn’t talk about you. Well, not in a bad way. Or nosy. You know.” Okay, stick in the other foot. “Carlos made a passing comment. I happened to remember it. You know my memory for words.”
She blew out a breath. “Memories are what we need to discuss, I guess.” A bell rang. “Look, I have customers. I’ll see you later.”
Sally hung up before he could reply. He’d have to organize his thoughts. She wouldn’t give him an inch. Forget that, he’d be lucky to get a millimeter’s worth of willingness to change her mind about the past.
But then, they’d recently discovered the truth that lay between them wasn’t what they’d believed. He wasn’t sure he wanted to give up his version of their history.
****
Sally placed her cordless phone on the counter. Would Jack’s visit be an opportunity for good or self-destruction? She greeted her visitors, willing to put her decision on hold.
A small but steady stream of customers kept her occupied until the City Hall bells rang out the noon hour medley. She caught her reflection in the mirror she’d positioned for good Feng Shui. Shoot, Jack would be here soon, and she looked a wreck.
Hands shaking, she reached for her handbag and pulled out her favorite lipstick. A few dabs over her lips gave her pale face much needed color. She fluffed her hair and evaluated her appearance in the mirror.
She inhaled and shook her head, simultaneously releasing a long sigh. What she needed more than an instant makeover and ten-pound weight loss was peace and calm. And she knew how to obtain both. A quick swipe of blush preceded her walk to her reading area where she sat and folded her hands together. Several deep breaths later, she felt her blood pressure drop.
Twenty minutes passed. A light meditative state had restored her equanimity. She reviewed her options regarding the upcoming interview. Good thing they were meeting on her turf. She needed every advantage she could get.
Let’s see. The one thing she couldn’t be was warm and welcoming. She’d have to squelch her normal response to life. Her choices might be more limited than she’d like.
Okay, then friendly, polite, and a tad distant, as if he were a stuck-up tourist who didn’t know why he’d entered her store. That could work.
Or perhaps her professor persona needed resurrection. Knowledgeable, a bit stern because Jack hadn’t done his homework. Hmm. A definite possibility.
Inquisitive, yep, that could work. A sort of, why did he bother to see her when they both knew the truth about their past? Coupled with polite and distant. Yep, she had her approach. She could put on that mask and use it. No problem.
The door chime sounded. Her mask crumpled and fell away when Jack walked in carrying a soft-sided cooler and a large thermos. Dang. His scared little boy expression grabbed her heart. She wished it didn’t affect her.
“Hey.” He scanned the store then returned his gaze to hers. “Nice place. Smells good in here.”
She stood silent, her answer stuck somewhere behind her tonsils.
He lifted the cooler and thermos. “Food and drink. Where should I put them? You still have time to meet, right?”
His hesitancy walloped the snarky comment that floated in her thoughts. She cleared her throat and pointed to her seating area. “Here.”
He walked toward her, his normal fluid grace hitched. His aura showed a dark gray along his spine. Either stress or an old injury, she figured. Not her business. She held enough stress for the entire town right now.
Placing the food and drink on the table, he lowered himself onto the couch, leaving her a choice. She could sit next to him there or across the table in a club chair. Or keep standing. No brainer.
“I have plates and flatware in the back. I’ll go get them. Be right back.”
“Relax. I brought everything. You shouldn’t have to clean up when I’m the one who pushed for this meeting.”
Crap. His thoughtfulness threw her. She needed to think. “I forgot to lock the door. Be right back.”
The short walk didn’t give her the emotional space she needed. She flipped the “Open” sign to “Closed,” her hands fumbling the simple act. Taking several deep breaths, she returned to face her past. To the man who hadn’t moved to unpack the cooler. Huh. Maybe he wasn’t so considerate after all.
She sank into the club chair. “Want me to unpack?”
He grimaced. “Please. I’m a little stiff today.”
She spoke without thinking. “Your back, right?”
He stilled. “Why do you say that?”
“I can see it. You know, in your aura. It’s gray, like an old injury or something.” He flinched. “Could be an alternative timeline, you know, what people refer to as a past life, though that’s not strictly correct. Time loops and everything happens…never mind. I forgot you’re not interested in my philosophies.”
“My brain won’t fall out if I leave my mind open.”
“Really? Well, that’s not what I remember. You always called my spiritual studies baloney.”
“I think I said they were bullshit.” He rubbed his jaw. “People change.”
“Right. Guess they do.” She hadn’t expected this tack. Blinking, she busied herself pulling items from the cooler. “So, let’s see what you brought for the showdown.”
He leaned forward, grunting. “It’s not a showdown, at least, that’s not what I want. I hope you’ll listen, that’s all. I think we’ve been operating in the dark for a long time, and I’d like to break on through.”
“Paraphrasing a Doors’ song? You don’t play fair, do you?” She looked up and saw his familiar quick grin.
“Whatever works to get the truth, Sally.”
Their gazes met and held. Instant tension, mixed with an odd yearning filled the space between them.
His expression grabbed her attention. Her pulse leapt. She looked away, certain she hadn’t seen honest regard—had that been pity?—in his eyes. He said he wanted to clear the air, nothing more. He’d made it clear Carlos’s request for them to get along was his underlying motive. Nope, she wouldn’t get fooled again. Not by a fleeting glance or by words spun by a master lyricist.
With concentrated effort, she turned her attention back to the table. Not looking at Jack, she asked, “Would you like tea? Won’t take more than a few minutes.” And will give me the opportunity to learn how to breathe again.
“I stopped for coffee.” Jack slowly moved to perch at the edge of the sofa cushion. “Here, let me help.”
&n
bsp; Their hands brushed. A familiar energy rush hit her. The old magic remained between them. No…just…no good. She pulled her hand away, hoping he hadn’t noticed the same tingles. She wanted to run away but settled for a diversion.
“I, um, I like to use real cups. Not that the ones you brought are bad. I’ve got two in the back.” She turned on her heel and hurried to her kitchen. Leaning against the counter, she gulped for air. Her first breath caught in her throat. The second made it halfway to her lungs. She continued inhaling until her pulse settled down and her breaths evened out.
“Sally? Everything okay?”
Well, shoot. His even tone told her he hadn’t been affected as she had. She took another deep breath. “Sorry, got sidetracked. Be right back.”
When she returned, Jack had opened all but one of the containers. One plate held a display of marinated vegetables in reds, yellows and greens. The aroma of balsamic vinegar made her mouth water. Stuffed celery ringed the display. Another plate was filled with cheeses in colors ranging from white to creamy yellow and orange. Crackers and rustic bread filled a small basket. A large green salad and a bowl teeming with berries completed the presentation.
Feeling composed again, Sally whistled. “Wow, who’s your caterer, Jack? I didn’t know anyone in the area specialized in vegetarian dishes. This looks great.”
“I put this together.”
“You cook?”
“Simple meals.” He rubbed his neck. “I have plenty of time to try new stuff. I learned the hard way. Healthy eating helps me get through the tours.”
Her eyes narrowed.
He maintained an innocent look then reached for a piece of hummus stuffed celery. His eyebrows rose. “What? Do you think I added poison or something?” He bit down. A loud crunching sound filled the air.
The idea that he was nice to her only to get closer to Carlos hurt. Shouldn’t after all these years, but the emotional pain hit her, hard. Silly woman.
“Is something wrong? Did I bring food you can’t eat? Allergies or something?”
“No, everything looks good. Thanks.”
She slipped her pre-determined mask of studied indifference back into place. She filled a plate with a selection of foods her jittery stomach assured her were a mistake to attempt. After nibbling on a celery stalk with hummus, she pushed her plate aside.
“We may as well talk. I can’t keep the store closed all afternoon.”
He nodded. “Yeah. Guess we need to get this over with.”
Wow. Didn’t that sentiment make her feel special? Although her last comment hadn’t been too sweet either.
“I don’t know why you think my opinion is important. I’ve already said I won’t deny Carlos his chance to know you.” She poured a mug of coffee from the thermos and added cream, handing him the beverage. She paused. “You do still take cream?”
He sipped and nodded. “Exactly as I like it. Thanks.”
His satisfied look gave her pause. “I’ll listen, but don’t expect more.” Shoot. Why had she done that thing with his coffee?
He took another sip, smiled, and inched back into the sofa cushions. “All I want is for you to listen to my side of the story. In return, I’ll hear yours.”
Her heart beat faster. “What happened? You left without a word, and the next thing I know, your family attorney is delivering divorce papers.”
He wrapped long fingers around his mug. His forehead wrinkled then smoothed. “Mitch copped us a last minute gig. Great money, an opportunity we couldn’t pass up, but we had to leave the same night.” He leaned forward. “You weren’t home, remember? Our flaky neighbor watched Carlos.”
“I remember.” She’d never forgotten the details of that night. “Work ran late.”
“I ran in and packed what I needed. I left you a note.” He held up his hands, palms out. “I know—notes aren’t enough.”
She refrained from making a wifely-sounding comment. Or from telling him she’d kept that note for way too long before finally tossing it.
“I left a message for you at work. When you didn’t call back, I figured you were still ticked off at me.” He caught her eye. “We had a hell of a last fight.”
She gulped. “Jobs. Money. We both said harsh things.”
He nodded. “I’d called Mom and asked her to watch out for you. She must have said something to my father, because he showed to stop me from going on tour.” He stared at Sally. “Being in a band didn’t fit the Young life plan.” He dropped his head, looking at his hands.
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“When I called from the road, no one answered. I wasn’t too worried at first, I figured you were out, and I’d catch up with you later.” He swallowed. “Then the divorce papers came.”
She shook her head, in part to help her thoughts settle. “Wait a minute. Something’s not making sense. You signed papers to start the process. The proceedings couldn’t have been much of a surprise.”
He stared at her. “I saw your signature, my slot was empty. My father told me—”
“Oh, the fountain of truth in human form.”
Jack grimaced and she was sure the look hadn’t been caused by a back twinge. “Your father always hated Carlos and me. We ‘lowered his social status.’ How could an innocent little kid hurt his precious reputation?”
He nodded. “He placed social rank first in everything.” He paused and looked at her, eyebrows raised.
Once again, her ability to read auras wasn’t working. Figured. His tone sounded honest, as did his story. She’d have to wing it.
“I apologize. I promised I’d listen.” She rolled her hand in a go ahead motion.
“Dad told me you wanted the divorce, and you’d asked for a settlement in lieu of support and no contact. Total isolation. You were a private person, so made sense to me. He said if I tried to see Carlos, you’d have me up on charges as an unfit father and get full custody anyway.”
Sally looked at the ceiling and snorted. “And you believed him? Me, with no money for a lawyer in a custody fight with a wealthy family? Give me a break.”
“No, you give me a break. I couldn’t find you. The neighbors didn’t know where you’d gone, your dad wouldn’t tell me anything when I called him, and you’d quit your job. What would you have thought? Add on the pressures of the band hitting big, my first national tour, and being miles away. I was frantic.”
“I saw a photo of you. You were in the background, but it was you and you didn’t look frantic. Unless it was frantic to pull off that groupie’s clothes.” She bit her lip and turned her face away. Shoot, she’d sounded jealous. Time to move on. “That photo made it easy for me to believe your father’s attorney when he delivered the divorce papers. He said you wanted a life. No strings.” Sally paused. “How could you give up your son?”
“I thought you didn’t want me, us. I couldn’t bear to see you, and I didn’t want to put Carlos through a court battle.” His response sounded bitter. “Besides, I understood you had plenty of money to make it easier.”
And no child support payments meant he could disappear, as he wanted. As if I’d never existed.
He edged back under the force of her glare.
“Money? You sound like your father’s attorney. I tore up the check he handed me right after he told me you wanted a career not a family. He said I could have sole custody in lieu of support because you didn’t want to be held back.” Sally hugged herself. “Sure, stupid move, but the idea of taking that check ticked me off. Like Carlos was second-class merchandise your father was sending back for a refund. My folks helped out. Yeah, we could have used some money along the way, but never pay-off cash. I found ways to provide for and keep Carlos whole without taking bribes.”
Jack’s arm muscles contracted. “I sold my soul and walked away because I thought that would keep him safe.” He paused, regarding her. “Do you want to keep trading barbs or is there a chance we can find neutral territory? Carlos really wants us to get along.”
Sally’s breath left her in a whoosh. “I don’t know what to say. You’ve given me a whole new version of what happened.”
His story sounded plausible, honest. Her hands shook. She needed time and space to reflect, to bring her whirling emotions under control. She couldn’t think when her world tilted and none of her beliefs seemed valid. “Look, we’ve both changed. You’re rich and famous and I’m…not. I can’t see common ground right now.”
They sat quietly until Jack broke the silence.
“Money isn’t the issue. We have similarities that you don’t want to see. Don’t you wonder how our lives would have differed?”
Her eyes widened. She knew where he headed but didn’t want to admit she’d wondered, as well.
“I’ve speculated on how my life would have gone if you hadn’t left,” Jack said. “Sure, we may have gotten divorced anyway, but in our own way. We may have stayed friends.”
“I’m not a time machine experiment, and Carlos deserves a devoted father, not someone who’ll pack up and leave when times get rough. Or for a big tour.”
“All I’m asking for is an opportunity and an open mind. I’ll show you I mean to make up time with Carlos. Do my best to be a father to him, and if you allow, be a friend to you. Tours, well, that’s part of the industry, even though I don’t want to go out anymore.”
He leaned forward, reached for her hands.
“You, you and Carlos, are parts of my life ripped away by deceit, cowardice, and inaction. Mine not yours. I need time with my son. I’d like time with you.”
She blinked but didn’t speak. She felt his trembling, or maybe hers. “I told you I wouldn’t stand in your way. But the first time you hurt Carlos, your ass will be mine, and not in a good way.”
“About that. I’ve left messages for Carlos. If you see him, please have him call me immediately. It’s important.”
She wondered why stress lines wrinkled his forehead. “I promise.”
“Something’s come up…never mind. I need to tell Carlos first.” He pushed to his feet. “I want you to know what’s happening. How about dinner? Tonight? Tomorrow night? I think we have more to discuss.”
Déjà Vu All Over Again Page 5