Captured Heart (A Garrett's Point Novel) (19 page)

Jack sat at his desk in his high-rise office completing one final review of the latest contracts. The two mergers he’d been working on the past month had taken their toll. Multi-billion dollar companies buying out several small conglomerates before they went belly up.

Numerous nights and weekends had been consumed with research and iron-clad clauses being put together. He felt burnt out. Swiveling his chair, he stared out at the bright Friday morning sky. It was going to be a beautiful day. He bet the Point would be filled with sailboats.

Scrubbing his hand over his face, he leaned back in his chair, resting his head and closing his eyes. Big mistake, for when he closed his eyes he saw Emma and Olivia’s faces. Guilt and something more punched his gut. He’d worked himself hard the last month, trying to forget a certain blonde’s smile, her softness, her kindness, and God help him, her passion.

That was the thing that had him tied up in knots still. He couldn’t forget. What the hell was the matter with him? Moving on was what he did. This, looking around at his office, THIS is where his heart was – in his work. Heart? Where had that come from? What the hell was he thinking?

Just then a knock sounded at his office door. “Come In.” he commanded. A lusty blonde came into his office carrying a packet of papers. “Mr. Wallaby wanted me to hand deliver these to you for the Martin case.” She sauntered over and made a point of leaning directly over him to set the papers on his desk. Her large breasts were practically falling out of her blouse. Normally, Jack would appreciate the view, but she held no interest for him. In fact, he wasn’t turned on at all.

What turned him on was the way Emma looked first thing in the morning, her hair tousled from sleep and her lips slightly swollen from his kisses. He loved the way she knew just what to say to Olivia to help her deal with her parents’ death. She was the most loving, giving person he’d ever met, and he missed her. He missed her being near, sharing meals, talking about their day and most of all being in his bed.

Had Grady made his move with him out of the picture? His hands tightened around the papers he’d just been handed.

Thanking her, he escorted her out of his office. His mind kept coming back to Emma. He’d said such hurtful things to her. He’d been such an ass. How would she ever forgive him? She had a big heart, but remembering her own words in response and the way she had looked at him, Jack wasn’t sure if he could redeem himself.

Is that what he really wanted? Looking around him, his office was devoid of anything other than mahogany furniture and artwork his assistant had picked out. Empty, just like he was inside. Emma and Olivia had filled him up inside with love and happiness, and now all that remained was a shell of the person he was when he was with them.

He liked that man. He wanted to be that man again. He was that man because of the love Emma had given him, and he had thrown it away. Well, he was used to fighting for what he wanted, and he was used to winning. Let Operation Capture Heart begin.

He was already formulating a plan. He knew what he needed to do, but he was going to need some help from people that were going to be reluctant to do so. He would have to convince them too that he did love Emma Heart, and that he was the man for her.

A prayer or two might not hurt either. Emma had taught him that.

Chapter Eighteen

Jack pulled up to the diner Saturday morning at nine o’clock. Everything was just as he’d left it, well the buildings anyway. He was probably getting ready to walk into the firing squad, but he wasn’t backing down. He knew he couldn’t do this alone. Reaching out to Sydney, he’d asked to meet with her this morning. She’d been the ice queen at first, but after he did a little groveling, he discovered she was willing to negotiate and at least hear what he had to say. He took a fortifying breath and walked into the diner.

Some of the older customers recognized him and greeted him by name. He still hadn’t gotten used to that. He spotted Sydney in a booth at the back and headed her way.

Sydney didn’t stand as he approached. “Jack.” was all the greeting he was going to receive apparently.
Well, what had he expected? She wasn’t going to make this easy.

“Good Morning, Sydney. I want to thank you for meeting with me.” Jack started out.

Sydney didn’t mince words. “Let’s cut to the chase, Denton. What is it you want from me? If it’s forgiveness, you’ve come to the wrong place.”

He bet she was a force to be reckoned with in a town council meeting.

“Okay. I’ll get straight to the point. I love Emma and Olivia and was a fool for letting them go. My life is empty without them. I didn’t know it at the time, but I do now. If I’m not too late, and Emma will forgive me, I want to spend the rest of my life proving to her how much I love her.” Jack laid it all on the table and waited for her response.

As Jack finished his tirade, he looked up and straight at the steely gaze of Grady McCloud. Great. Just who he wanted to see this morning.

“That’s all well and good, Jack, but what’s that got to do with me? I’m not the one that needs to forgive you, and I don’t by the way.”

“Duly noted, but what I need from you has to do with your office.”

Syd tilted her head questioningly. “Go on.”

“Do you still have the position open for town attorney?”

A slow grin spread across Sydney’s face. She understood now why he wanted to meet with her before approaching Emma. He was pulling out the big guns.

“As a matter of fact, I do.” Sydney replied.

They discussed details and made plans to get together Monday at her office. Jack felt another piece fall into place.

Just then the diner door swung open. At first Jack thought the wind had caught it. Looking up he realized it was more like a whirlwind herself. There stood Kat fuming. Jack was certain steam was coming from her ears. This wasn’t a good thing.

She stalked toward him, purpose in her stride. He stood as she came up to their booth.

“Kathryn, let me explain. I…” Before Jack could finish his sentence, Kat hauled off and punched him in the nose.

Holy Hell that hurt! Jack held his nose, blood pouring from it. Then all hell broke loose inside the diner. Grady jumped up from the bar. “Kathryn Gilbert!” he bellowed and walked right over and threw Kat like a sack of potatoes right over his shoulder and carried her out. All the while Kat was pounding his lower back yelling, “Put me down, McCloud right now!”

Melanie came over to Jack with a sandwich bag full of ice. “Here. Hold this to your nose.”

“Guess I deserved that.” Jack muttered.

Melanie sat down by Sydney in the booth. “Hun, you’ll have a line of people waiting to take a swing at you if you don’t make things right with Emma. We protect our own.”

Jack respected that, and could certainly appreciate that. Moving here meant gaining a community not just a place to live.

“Well, there’s no time like the present they say.” Jack stood. “I know I hurt Emma terribly. I wish I could take it back, but I can’t. I made a mistake, and I’m sorry. I know I hurt more than just Emma.”

Jack was telling them he knew by hurting Emma, he’d hurt them as well, and he was sorry for that. Both Melanie and Sydney nodded.

“Good luck to you, Jack. You do know you’re going to have to fight for this, don’t you? She’s not going to give in easily. Some hurts take longer to heal, especially if trust is broken.” Sydney was a perceptive woman.

He knew his actions would speak louder than his words as far as Emma was concerned. She knew him better than anyone. What he was about to do was setting him on a completely different path than his life had been on, and he’d never felt more exhilarated. Now if he could just convince Emma…

Pulling into the drive of what had been his sister’s home just over a month ago, made him smile. He had loved this house the first time he’d seen it. He understood what had drawn her to it. Its welcoming beauty was fortified by its size and shape. There was a lot of room to grow with this house.

He stared at the front door for several minutes, not exiting his car.
Come on Jack. Now was not the time to man out.

He got out of the car and walked up the steps to the front door. It was just after ten. He knocked and waited. No one answered. He knocked again. Still no answer.

He had a key. Emma would probably kill him for using it, but desperate times, call for desperate measures.

He opened the front door, and all he heard was silence until he walked down the foyer into the kitchen. He saw them before he heard them. There on the patio still in their pajamas were Olivia and Emma. Scattered on the side table were numerous pieces of paper, markers, strips of ribbon and balloons.  He guessed it had been note day. He smiled remembering the first time they had done that.

They were now lying on a blanket on the patio pointing up at the sky involved in animated conversation. What were they doing?

Jack made his way to the patio doors where he could now hear them. Olivia was asking Emma if she could see the dog playing catch in the clouds.

At that moment Tucker caught sight of him and started barking. Emma and Olivia both turned towards the French doors.

“Uncle Jack! I can’t believe you’re here.” Olivia jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.

“Hello, princess. I missed you.” He held the child tightly, but his gaze sought out Emma.

She was looking at him as if he were a ghost. She clambered to her feet.

“Hello, Emma.” He greeted her nonchalantly, not giving anything away.

When he set Olivia on her feet, that was when Emma noticed his shirt front was covered in blood. She gasped, “What happened to your shirt? Whose blood is that?” She was genuinely concerned.

Jack had forgotten about the shirt. Well, maybe he could use this to his advantage. He wasn’t opposed to playing on her sympathy to get her to open up.

“I’m afraid it’s mine. I had a run in with a Kat.” She knew instantly what he meant.

“Oh, no! She didn’t.” Emma was instantly at his side inspecting his face, gently probing his nose.

“I might be black and blue for a few days, but I’ll live.” He was restraining from his desire to pull her into his arms. Her hands caressing his face were about to be his undoing.

Something in his eyes must have given him away, because Emma suddenly froze and stepped back.

She cleared her throat and started again. “You didn’t call to verify you were coming. Sorry, I would have been prepared to leave you and Olivia alone. Let me just go inside and get some things together…”

As she started to walk around him, his hand on her arm halted her. “Emma, please don’t go.”

Tortured eyes looked up at him. “Jack, there’s really nothing for us to say to one another that you haven’t already said. I don’t want to rehash it. Just let me go.” she pleaded.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Emma, not without talking to you first. We need to talk.” Jack tried reasoning with her, but she wasn’t in a reasonable mood.

“There’s nothing for us to discuss. I’m going upstairs to shower, and I’ll stay at my place tonight. You and Olivia can enjoy your time together. Excuse me.” With that she skirted around him back into the house.

“What’s wrong, Uncle Jack? Why are you and Aunt Emma fighting? I thought you liked each other.” Her little face was frowning, filled with confusion.

Picking her up, he carried her back into the house. “Oh, we certainly do like each other, honey, but all people have little disagreements, don’t they. You do sometimes with your friends, don’t you?”

Nodding her head, Olivia said, “Amy cut in front of me in the lunch line the other day. That wasn’t nice.”

“There. You see. Nothing to worry about. I just need to talk to Aunt Emma. Will you stay down here and watch a movie for me, so I can go talk to her?” he asked Olivia for her compliance.

She agreed and picked out a movie he knew she’d seen two dozen times if not more. What was so funny about a talking snowman?

Jack made his way upstairs to Emma’s bedroom. He’d tried it the nice way. Now it was his way. He was in this to win this. He wasn’t leaving here until he had her back.

He didn’t knock. He just walked in. She wasn’t in her room. She was standing in front of the bathroom mirror wrapped in a towel. Steam still fogged some of the mirror.

She spotted him through the mirror, startled. “God, Jack, are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

Then she remembered she was only wearing a towel. “What are you doing in here? Get out!” she practically spat at him.

He’d shut the bedroom door and locked it behind him. They weren’t leaving this room until she heard him out.

“Emma, I’m sorry.” He waited. That was all he said.

Emotions fluttered across her face. Surprise. Sadness. Anger.

“You’re right. You are. Tell me something I don’t know, Jack.” She spun around as if to ignore him, picking up her brush and continuing to comb her wet hair.