“What about that huge diamond engagement ring you gave her that she’s still been flashing around? Didn’t you have it listed with the property?”
Nick answered tersely, “I did.”
“Don’t let her keep it, Nick,” Jack muttered grimly. “I’ll bet she never paid for one damn thing while you two were living together?”
Nick hung his head.
“She deserves nothing. Think about the good the money from that ring would do for one of your charities.”
“Alright.”
“It will be my pleasure to ask her for it,” Jack said, smiling.
Nick laughed suddenly before answering, “Alright. I’ll admit I hated the idea of having to do it. I’ll work with the movers.”
Jack loved the worried look on Marissa’s face when she finally climbed down the staircase.
If looks could kill, Jack would be dead, judging by the glare she was giving him now as he approached.
“The ring,” he murmured, holding out his hand. “It’s listed as part of Nick’s property, so the proceeds are going to charity.”
“It’s mine,” she said shrilly.
“Hand it over,” Jack growled. “Nick’s my friend, and you screwed around on the wrong guy, Marissa.”
Glaring, she finally gave in, yanking the ring off her finger and throwing it Jack before rushing up the staircase.
Scooping the ring from the floor, Jack laughed.
* * *
Nick’s sister, Shauna was waiting inside Nick’s apartment when Jack and Nick walked inside.
“Come and pick out what you want from the moving truck,” Nick said, leaving the door open wide. “I’ll drop some of it off to be auctioned and the rest will go in storage in Wisconsin.”
“Any trouble?” she asked, looking at Jack.
“Only with getting Marissa to return the engagement ring,” he answered.
Shauna’s eyes went wide, as she covered her mouth with her hand.
She began laughing when she finally got over her initial shock. “I can’t believe Nick had the nerve to ask for it back.”
“I didn’t,” Nick admitted, grimacing. “Jack made it his mission to talk with her about it instead.”
“I’m so glad you didn’t marry her, Nick,” Shauna murmured, following him into the elevator.
“Me too,” Nick admitted.
Jack smiled, helping himself to bottled water from inside the fridge and sitting in front of the television Shauna had been watching.
When the grim forecast for Indonesia and Australia flashed across the weather channel, Jack paused, his bottled water in midair.
Resting the bottle on the end table, Jack pulled out his phone, hitting the speed dial number for Rand.
Ten minutes later, he was no less reassured when Nick and Shauna returned to the apartment.
Nick’s look at him was quizzical. “Is something wrong?”
“The weather forecast for Bali and the surrounding areas looks grim. I just talked with Rand, and at this point, he’d not too concerned. Because of its location, Bali is usually pretty safe. Plus, his house is like a fortress, so he promised that the ladies would be staying with him when the time came.”
“Good,” Nick murmured, frowning. “He’ll keep us informed?”
“Yes. Not a problem, he said.”
Nick shook his head, looking worried.
Shauna stared at Jack first, and then at Nick. “You two are acting awfully secretive. What ladies?”
Nick shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “Just some other tourists we made friends with on the island.”
“Why do I get the feeling that there’s more to it than that?” Shauna said dryly, apparently ready to drop her inquisition.
Jack did more than wait for Rand to call. He checked the forecast numerous times during the following week, even while he was at work. He just couldn’t seem to quit worrying about Janelle. Of course, they weren’t actually together now, although he was sure intending to change that, no matter what her reasons for wanting to remain unattached.
Undoubtedly, it would be the same way he would worry about her when she was away on tour.
If they ever got together, that is.
Jack breathed a sigh of relief at the end of the week when Rand finally managed to get through and call. He’d been worried sick after hearing that worst of the damage in Bali had occurred in the area where Rand’s house was located.
All the ladies were safe, including Janelle.
Who’d helped deliver Kerilyntaryn’s baby.
What a woman, Jack decided, after hearing about that.
But something had apparently happened on the island, and Rand would have to be reassigned quickly because trouble from terrorists had been brewing on the island, and his life could be in danger. Rand would have to figure a way to keep in touch, because it wouldn’t be through the usual channels.
It was sad to think that Ciara and Rand, the couple who’d recognized their love so quickly, would have to be separated for an indefinite period of time.
It made Jack even more determined about getting to know Janelle. There’d been something so special that had developed between them on the island, and time was only making that feeling stronger.
Chapter Eleven
Tireder than when she’d left, Janelle had reported back to base the week after returning from Bali feeling surprisingly good about the part she’d played during the cyclone.
In a few days, she would be returning on tour in Iraq with a crew, working and training Iraqi military members to fly aircraft the U.S. had handed over as part of the U.S. plan for assistance. She had no idea how long she would be there since the tensions overseas were escalating.
Sitting at her desk, she was staring at her open laptop, studying some of the pictures they’d taken on Bali before the cyclone had struck.
Emma had shot a few of her and Nick when they’d been out for dinner, and she sighed, because he was just as good looking as she remembered.
And the way she was looking at him in that picture? It was positively shameful. She wasn’t normally someone who put herself on public display.
But then again, she noticed the expression on Jack’s face, which showed him equally absorbed by her.
And it made her smile.
A notification came up on her computer, and she brought up her email to see who it was and blinked. Jack Wellman?
Talk about coincidence.
Maybe she shouldn’t read it? After all, when would she ever see him again?
She sat there a minute, pursing her lips, and finally she was just too curious to ignore him, so she opened the email.
And laughed. He’d sent a variety of pictures he must have taken on his phone, some seemed to have been taken on Bali.
He’d taken a close up of her, she suddenly realized. One had been taken before Emma had given her the makeover, and the other seemed to have been taken after. Funny how she hadn’t noticed.
His only message?
Was glad to hear you arrived home safely. Write me when you can. Jack.
Hmm. She wouldn’t write him back, since she had a meeting coming up in a few minutes, but she could send him some photos.
Quickly, she sifted through the best pictures from Bali, and pasted them into the return email, hitting send.
* * *
They continued to send emails, Jack writing a quick note, adding pics of his apartment and community.
She was surprised when he mentioned he would be moving and taking a new job in Crystal Rock in less than a couple weeks. It was funny how Ciara had never mentioned it, but then again, maybe it wasn’t since she was so wrapped up in Rand and had been distracted ever since Rand had left Bali for wherever he’d been reassigned. Janelle had finally recognized Rand as someone she’d met in the past on a mission and realized that his living on Bali was no coincidence, although no one else seemed to notice.
Apparently, Nick would be moving to Crystal Rock too, and Janelle grinned, wo
ndering if Emma knew.
Let her be surprised, she decided. Undoubtedly, Emma and Nick would be a couple next time Janelle had a chance to visit Crystal Rock.
But when would that be?
Janelle heaved a sigh. It would soon be time for her to actually respond to Jack’s emails since she would be traveling next week.
Opening reply and adding some of the pictures she’d taken with friends on base along with a few of her favorite places in town, Janelle hit send.
Another five days later, Janelle was getting ready to ship out when she sat behind her laptop to finish some personal correspondence with her family and Emma before finally answering Jack.
This time, she included the photo which Emma had taken of the two of them in Bali, wrapped within each other’s arms.
Shipping out overseas tomorrow, she wrote, and I’ll most likely be incommunicado. J.
Jack must have been sending her emails from his phone, because another message was returned only a few moments later, and he’d reattached the picture of the two of them embracing.
I’ll be here when you need me. Jack. There was a heart emoji included with the message.
Not if – when.
The nerve of the guy.
Still, Janelle was smiling widely when she walked out of her office an hour later.
Chapter Twelve
Another week later, Nick drove into the town of Crystal Rock Wisconsin in his SUV with Jack as his passenger. Jack had finally sold the clunker he drove around Richmond, because Rand had promised him a company vehicle since he would be handling local realty deals and showing homes for sale. When Nick traveled, it would more than likely be long distance, so alternate arrangements would be made as needed.
Both Jack and Nick were surprised at how festive the town appeared. It was like visiting the inside of a snow globe, they decided as Nick drove along Main Street. Wreaths were hung high on old fashioned streetlight posts which were wrapped by lights, and every business they drove by appeared to take Christmas seriously, judging by the massive amount of decorations visible both inside and outside shop windows.
“I feel almost like we’re visiting the North Pole,” Jack murmured, with definite humor in his voice. “It’s a beautiful little town, Nick. Isn’t it?”
“It is,” Nick answered in agreement. “And according to the instructions, our place of business is coming up here to the left, across from the café.”
“Wow,” Jack muttered. “It’s nice. But the only place without any Christmas lights. We’ll have to do something about that right away.”
Nick could see that the brick, mortar and millwork had either been restored or replaced, glancing at the elegance of the exterior building. “Rand said the offices are all a blank slate. We can order desks, shelving and any kind of storage solutions we would like.”
“There are computers in each office?”
“Yes. Everything is wired and ready to go. Apparently, the computers are set up on some small desks he ordered, which can be used by the secretary or receptionist we hire.”
Nick pulled into a parking lot behind the building which led to a separate entrance belonging to the apartments upstairs. Apparently, there was another entrance inside the office leading up the staircase as well.
“With this ISIS threat hanging over him, I hope Rand doesn’t have to stay incommunicado for too long. I’m just glad that he was safe when he finally got a hold of us,” Nick said, turning into the parking lot, and parking near the back door.
“And the ladies too,” Jack murmured, giving him a side glance. “I was a little worried about all of them. I couldn’t understand why they didn’t evacuate, but it says a lot about each woman, the fact that they wanted to stick around and help with the aftermath.”
“Ciara and Janelle, yes, they’re trained. But not Emma,” Nick growled.
“Quit being so snarky.” Jack smirked. “You and Emma really seemed to click, despite your irritation with her, I could see the sparks. It’s a shame they were just arriving when we were going home.”
Nick grunted, stepping out from behind the wheel, and reaching for one of the bags in the back seat of the SUV after sliding open the back door.
Jack smiled widely, doing the same.
Opening the storm door, Nick pulled the keys from the envelope taped near the bottom, unlocking the door.
“Hmm,” Jack murmured, as they began climbing the staircase. “Nice woodwork for a back staircase.”
“I was thinking the same thing myself,” Nick said as they reached the landing and began walking down a long hallway.
“What are these other doors?” Jack asked.
“Apparently there’s a small apartment where our office contact, Mike, occasionally stays overnight.” Nick stopped near a door in the middle of the hallway. “I’m going to be looking for a house pretty quickly, I’ve already decided. I want the outdoor space for my niece when she comes to visit. So, I want you to have the largest apartment Jack.”
“I appreciate that, Nick,” Jack said, opening the apartment door, and flipping on the light switch near the door. “Holy crap. This is fantastic.”
“I’ll say,” Nick murmured, glancing at the open concept living room and kitchen. “Refinished wooden floors, stainless appliances, huge windows and a gas fireplace. You even have a large balcony.”
“The furniture looks comfy too,” Jack muttered, laying down his bags. “Let’s go look at yours.”
Walking across the hallway, Nick opened the door on the end, flipping on the lights. “Geez. This is equally nice. Apparently, the only difference is the number of bedrooms. Yours has two and this one has one. I even have a fireplace too.”
“The kitchen is the same size. Huge.”
“Leave it to Rand to go for the most luxurious touches.”
Jack laughed. “The only thing we don’t have is a swimming pool.”
“Knowing Rand, that’ll probably be added in the parking lot next summer,” Nick said dryly.
Jack laughed harder.
* * *
There was generous office space downstairs, and Rand had already divided it up into three equally sized offices, they discovered the next day after glancing at the space quickly the night before. They’d both been tired, so after eating a surprisingly delicious meal at the café across the street, they’d both hit the sack.
Jack was looking at a list of information laying on one of the desks near the computer. “He left the name of a decorator here in town, so I presume he wants us to use her?”
“Judging by the amount of money he left us in the startup fund, we have carte blanche to do whatever we want to do.”
“Then, yes, let’s get a hold of the decorator and see what she suggests before we do anything else. Rand even said not to worry about business itself until after the first of the year because he has a plan in place, and ready to implement after the first. It’s all there on the computer when we’re ready to sit down and study it.”
“Okay. I’ll call the decorator and see when she’s available to stop by. And then let’s go investigate the town, and maybe pick up some Christmas decorations for the outside.”
“Sounds good,” Jack answered.
* * *
They went for lunch at a place called the Crystal Rock Tap, located outside of town, since it had been highly recommended by the owners of the café. Apparently, the restaurant owners in the area had the attitude what was good for one, could be good for them all since they had differing specialties.
They had a couple beers before eating, letting the festive atmosphere of the town take over. The burger Nick had there was great, as was the Reuben that Jack decided to try, and after a couple cups of coffee, they were on their way back into town, heading to the grocery store.
Although it was fun eating out, they picked up a bunch of food for during the day. One thing they were planning on doing before the first of the year was checking out the realty currently available in town to get a head start. They woul
d begin researching by computer first, and then start driving around town to view the homes, while becoming more familiar with the area.
Nick had found gobs of lights and plastic ornaments at the grocery store, so they spent the remainder of the afternoon decorating outside the office.
“It looks nice,” Nick murmured, when they were finished.
“Yeah it does,” Jack admitted, grimacing. “I think I need to pick up a winter coat, along with some warmer clothes. Sweats just aren’t going to cut it.”
“I agree. Besides all that, I’ll need some boots, too,” Nick confessed. “We can do that tomorrow and go out for lunch. They have a winter sports shop at the Dragonfly Pointe Inn.”
“They do, do they?” Jack’s look was quizzical. “Isn’t that where Emma Caffrey works?”
“Yes,” Nick answered in a growl.
“Did you try to call or send her an email yet?”
“Yes. I got on my laptop this morning after I couldn’t reach her on the phone.”
“What did she say?”
“Nothing,” Nick answered, feeling unusually irritated. “Come to find out, she didn’t give me her real number or email address.”
Jack was surprised for a moment, before he barked out a laugh. Good for Emma – that was telling him.
And noticing just how peeved Nick actually was, Jack began laughing loudly.
Chapter Thirteen
“St. Nick. That’s what I’m going to be calling you from now on,” Jack murmured, grinning as Nick dressed into the Santa suit. “I can’t believe you’re doing this.”
Because the costume was thick and heavy, Nick had taken off everything but his t-shirt and boxers.
“Blame it on Jake Loughlin. As soon as he heard about who my family was, which I still haven’t figured out how, he labeled me as a sucker.”
Jack's Blind Date Debacle (Hot Hunks Steamy Romance Book 8) Page 6