Captured Heart (A Garrett's Point Novel) (16 page)

“You certainly have the knack for working with children, Em. That little girl is lucky to have you in her life at a time like this.” Melanie complimented Emma.

“That’s what Jack said, but I’m just doing what any decent human being would do in a situation like this. It doesn’t make me special, just a decent human being.”

The other three shared arched glances at the mention of Jack. “Maybe Jack’s smarter than we gave him credit for.” Sydney commented.

Emma ignored her and turned to Mel. “You’ve been awfully quiet tonight, Mel. How are things with you?” Melanie smiled. She knew Emma was deflecting.

“Actually, I have some news.” Melanie dropped that sentence like an egg on the sidewalk and waited. Her friends couldn’t stand not to be in the know. She paused long enough for Kathryn to lose her short thread of patience.

“Are you going to tell us what the news is, or do I need to go all Chinese water-boarding on your ass?”

“Kathryn, my God, do you need to talk like you’re in the ghetto?” Emma scolded.

“Emma,” Kat mocked, “Do I need to remind you that’s where I’m actually from?”

True. Kathryn had grown up in the rough part of town with a single mom that had worked at the local market her entire life, struggling to support her little girl. Kathryn had worked hard to step outside of her boundaries. She was smart and had been curious about everything from an early age. That curiosity had led to her love of journalism. She’d gone to school, but still returned to Garrett’s Point. This was home to her as well. The one thing college hadn’t changed was her razor-sharp tongue and crackling wit.

“Touché, my friend.” Emma stuck her tongue out at Kathryn for effect. Kat couldn’t help but laugh. “Me thinks thou doth spend too much time with five-year-olds.” was her sarcastic reply.

“If you two are finished, can we get back to Mel telling us her news?” Sydney interjected.

All eyes returned to Melanie. “I’ve decided to make some changes around the diner, including the menu.” Melanie waited for their response.

“What?” Kathryn sputtered. “What’s wrong with the diner that you need to make changes to? The diner’s perfect just the way it is!” Kathryn wasn’t big on change.

“Mel, that’s exciting. What are you thinking about doing?” Sydney asked.

“Remember how I always wanted to have a nice little restaurant where friends and family come together with good Italian food?” Melanie asked.

“Vaguely, yes.” Sydney replied, “But you haven’t mentioned that in years.”

“Well, I love the diner, but my heart is with Italian cuisine. It’s great comfort food, and the atmosphere of such a place is what I’ve always wanted to create.” Mel continued.

“This doesn’t sound like a few new curtains and dishes, Mel. This sounds like a major facelift.” Emma commented.

“It is actually. I’ve been researching, and I have a few consultants coming to meet with me out of Richmond and Williamsburg over the next few weeks.”

“That is so exciting, Mel! That’s big news. I can’t believe you’ve kept this under your hat.” Emma was surprised.

“I’ve been considering it for a while now. To be honest, the tragedy with Jeff and Dana was what convinced me to go ahead and do it. I keep putting it off, and I may never get the opportunity to do it. The only thing holding me back was fear to take that step. Now that I have, I am really excited about it.”

Emma sighed. Jeff and Dana had impacted so many lives while living, and they were continuing to do so even in passing.

“Melanie, I’m very proud of you for being so brave, and I know we will all help you any way we can, won’t we girls?” Emma looked to Sydney and Kathryn for confirmation.

“As long as you don’t become some hoity toity joint that has a dress code, I’m in.” Kat grumbled.

Laughing, Emma jumped up saying, “Group hug!” Kat groaned while Melanie grasped Syd to her right and Kat to her left, while Emma hugged them all from behind Mel.

“I’m telling you the Ya Ya’s have nothing on us.” Emma stated.

They all burst into gut-wrenching laughter. They finished their dinners and talked a little more before Emma stood to leave. “It’s getting late. I should head home. Don’t forget about Saturday afternoon at the river. I want to give Olivia the best day we can full of support. Come ready to decorate and hide eggs. Several of her school friends are supposed to come over.”

They said their good-byes and Sydney followed Emma out. Wrapping her arm around her waist, Sydney leaned into her. “Are you sure you’re strong enough to handle this situation with Jack, Em? This isn’t your normal mode.”

Standing on the sidewalk outside the diner, a street lamp illuminated their shadows. “Yes, I’m sure Syd. I’ve never been in love before. I think that makes us stronger and willing to sacrifice more than before.”

“Just be careful not to lose yourself for want of helping someone else, Em.” Syd warned.

She watched Emma drive off before heading to her own vehicle.
Being an adult was overrated
, she thought to herself as she herself headed home.

Chapter Fifteen

The house was silent except for the noise coming from the television in the family room. As Emma walked through the foyer, she thought about the warning Sydney had given her. Was she in danger of losing herself or had she already lost? She didn’t think so, but it wouldn’t be the first thing she’d ever been wrong about.

The only lights on in the house were the overhead stove light and a lamp shining delicately in the corner of the family room. It was just after nine. When she turned the corner into the family room, she found Olivia sound asleep in Jack’s lap, lying on her favorite pillow. Jack’s head was leaning back against the couch his eyes closed.

Jack’s legs were stretched out onto the ottoman, his shoes removed. Pillows were strewn across the floor, evidence of a recent pillow fight it would seem.

What a picture they made. It was the first time Olivia and Jack had spent this much time together, and by the looks of it, they had spent the evening successfully together.

As she began picking up pillows, she heard “That’s a much better view than the movie I was watching.” Jack’s sleepy drawl made her stomach flutter.

She’d been bent over retrieving a pillow in front of the television. “Maybe you need to pick out better movie material.” Emma shot back.

Smiling like a predator contemplating its options, Jack grinned slowly. “I have very distractive tastes.” he replied, eliciting a quiet chuckle. “You’re incorrigible, you know that?” Emma asked.

“I may have been told that a time or two.” Jack attempted to slide upward without waking Olivia.

“Looks like the two of you had a good evening.” Emma said, surveying the room for emphasis.

Jack’s smile spread. “We certainly did. Who knew the kid was a champion pillow-fighter?” he jested.

“That was one of her and Jeff’s favorite things to do. Dana was always complaining about busted pillows, but she kept replacing them.”

“If you carry her up, I’ll get her settled into bed.” Emma offered.

“Sounds like a plan.” Jack lifted Olivia into his arms and carried her upstairs. Emma led the way, clearing her bed of stuffed animals and turning down the bed. Jack laid her down and Emma got her undressed and mostly dressed in her pajamas before she roused slightly.

“I beat Uncle Jack tonight.” she mumbled. “Just like I did Daddy.” Heart squeeze. Lord, this was hard.

“I heard. Remind me not to go up against you. Sweet dreams, now Liv. Good-night.” She kissed her forehead and walked to the door. Jack came over and did the same, brushing her hair from her eyes. “Good-night, Olivia. Love you.”

Emma just about had tears in her eyes. This man, who was so child-like himself at times, with no commitment to anything other than his work, was falling for his seven-year-old niece. He was going to be just fine, she told herself. She knew he had it in him. He just didn’t know it.

She headed back downstairs. Their time together was running out. Just a few more days, and he would be heading back to Richmond. Her heart ached at the thought. It’d been two weeks since they’d lost Jeff and Dana. It felt like two months. Either way, she wasn’t ready to let him go. Of course he wasn’t walking out on them, but it was back to his life and up to Emma to create a new life for Olivia, primarily with Jack in it occasionally.

They’d settled into a routine most evenings after Olivia went to bed. Making two cups of coffee, she carried them into the family room. Jack came in right behind her.

“That smells really good.” he said as he picked up his mug. They both thrived on the stuff.

“How was your girl’s night out at the diner?” Jack inquired. They were sitting, facing one another, Emma with her legs tucked under her, Jack with his supported on the ottoman.

“Never dull, that’s for sure.” was all she said.

“Not going to give me the gory details, huh?” he teased.

“Nope.” she grinned from behind her coffee mug.

They were both quiet, sipping their coffee. Emma was first to break the companionable silence.

“I’m really glad you and Olivia spent some one-on-one time together tonight. She needed that.”

Again with the smile that melted her insides. “That child has more energy than that damn bunny you see on television. I think I need to spend a few more days a week at the club playing racquetball.”  

His comment brought her back to discussing what was going to happen over the next few days. Sadness crept in, but she pushed it back. She didn’t want him to feel guilty about going back to his life.

“Look, Jack the next few days are going to be crazy around here. Saturday, friends are coming over to celebrate Easter with us for Olivia. We’re painting eggs, doing an egg hunt for the kids and cooking on the grill. If you’re too busy to man the grill, Grady said he’d be more than happy to do it.”

The hell he would
, thought Jack. “No, that won’t be necessary. I’ll take care of the grill.” he said firmly.

“That would be great, Jack. Thank you. Everyone has been wonderful about helping to make this a happy holiday – as happy as can be expected; for Olivia. “

Dredging on, she brought up Easter service at church. “We’ll attend and come home for a quiet Easter dinner. I bought a ham to fix for us.” she hesitated.

“You mentioned heading back to Richmond Monday morning. Is that still your plan?” she thought she might swallow her tongue, it felt so thick and dry in her mouth.

Jack sighed, resigned to the fact that they had to discuss his leaving. He knew it was necessary, but he wasn’t quite ready to let go what he and Emma had shared the past week. He was surprised to find how uncomfortable he felt about leaving Olivia, not because she wouldn’t be cared for. He knew she was in the best of hands with Emma, but because he felt like he was letting his sister down. She was an amazing little girl and deserved the best.

He’d talked to his boss that morning. They were eager for his return. Several new contracts were being finalized over the next few weeks that included mergers. He had to be in the office to secure them.

“I have to, Em. I’m sorry. I wish I could stay longer, but I’ve got to get back to the office.” his own words sounded like a bad B-rated movie.

“Don’t apologize, Jack. We talked about this. We knew this time would come. No regrets, remember?” She was letting him off the hook too easy. Didn’t she care that he was leaving? Why wasn’t she pushing for him to stay?

“Let’s just keep our focus on making Olivia happy. We can do that, can’t we?” she whispered.

His eyes had turned that dark shade of chocolate they always did when he was aroused. He set his mug on the coffee table and turned back to her.

“Can we focus on making ourselves happy tonight, Em? We deserve that don’t we?” He had moved in close as he spoke, his head leaned to the side, whispering in her ear.

The tingles spread across her flesh, making the hair on her arms stand on end. He was suckling her ear the way that shot little rods of excitement straight to her core.

“Would it startle you to know how much I need you, how much I need to be inside you?” His tongue invaded her ear as he nipped her.

Wetness invaded her lower region. He had pushed her back onto the couch and lay partially on top of her, his mouth taking possession of hers. “Tell me what you want, Emma. Tell me. Let me hear you say it.” His mouth skimmed down her throat to her breast, beading her nipple through her blouse. Her back arched up, pushing her breast further into his mouth.

“I want you, Jack. All of you.” she cried out, her hands grasping his shoulders for support.

He wasn’t satisfied. He followed his trail back up to her mouth and plundered its hot sweetness. “Where do you want me, Em? Here?” He kissed her neck. She whimpered. “Here?” He nipped her earlobe. Again she whimpered as she rubbed against his groin. She reached around and placed her hands inside the back pockets of his jeans and pushed him hard against her, grinding into him.