Forever, Jack (13 page)

Wow
.

“Karina overheard me talking to you about your big event and offered her input on places to shop, get your hair done, etc.”

I instinctively brought a hand up to my hair. I hadn’t even thought about getting my hair done. Or makeup. I blinked.

“Yes, here,” said Karina, handing me a thick business card. “I called and set up your appointments, I hope you don’t mind. It’s just that I had to pull some strings, they’re normally pretty booked up. One for today and also the day of the event to do the styling.”

I nodded, like I totally understood. “Uh, thanks. Thank you.” Spa appointments were a bit alien to me, Jazz’s attempts to keep me groomed notwithstanding. I had a feeling the place Karina was talking about was altogether different than the Korean girls who painted stars on my toes for Fourth of July.

She smiled and reeled off the boutiques I should visit after lunch. When I’d said she was stunning, it was an understatement. Why wasn’t Colt dating
her
?

I glanced at Colt, who winked at me. Then we said goodbye to Karina.

As we strolled down the street, I became aware Colt hadn’t taken my hand. He’d been holding my hand a lot recently, and the fact that he didn’t was unnerving to say the least, even though part of me was relieved. I slid my eyes over to him as we walked. He seemed lost in thought. We reached the small gastro pub, and he held the door open for me as we entered.

Colt removed his suit jacket and rolled up his crisp white sleeves as we sat down. “So, have you seen him again?” he asked over the menu.

“Yes. He told me you guys had quite the chat.” I quirked my eyebrow at him, trying to keep the situation light.

Colt rolled his eyes. “Yeah, you could say that. After you left, I apologized for punching him, and he did the same. Look, I know we’ve only just started dating, so to speak, but I’m not under any illusions that I don’t quite … do it for you … the way he obviously does.”

I swallowed, guiltily. “Colt—”

He put a hand up. “It’s fine, Keri Ann.”

We placed our order with the server.

“It’s not like you didn’t try,” Colt continued after we’d made our choices. “But, I care about you, you know that, and if you’d asked me two days ago whether I would stand in his way if he came back, I wouldn’t have hesitated. I mean, we all got to see how little he obviously thought about you since he was here last.”

I flinched, my chest collapsing into the pit of my stomach.

Colt grabbed my hand that was sliding off the table. “That was before, Keri Ann. Before I spoke to him. Before I saw him look at you. I don’t know why the hell he spent the last half a year acting like a douche, but as soon as you were gone, it was like he was different.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know what I mean. The guy you see out there in the world is not the same guy I spoke to yesterday.” He exhaled roughly. “I just know that standing between you two, physically and metaphorically, doesn’t feel comfortable at all. I realized no matter what I feel for you, you’ll never have those same feelings for me. And to be honest, as much as I care about you, because I seriously do, I can’t compete with that.”

I sat quietly, listening, letting him hold my hand. Colt was such a good guy. A good looking, successful, thoughtful guy. Any girl would be lucky to have him. But apparently not me.

He sighed and went on, “I know you’re not taken in by what he does for a living. I think, in fact, that’s probably the least attractive thing about him for you. That’s part of what makes you so different than all the asset-driven women I know.”

“Is that the gentleman’s way of saying gold-digger?” I laughed. “Don’t put me on a pedestal, Colt. I like money and security as much as the next girl.”

He smiled, ruefully. “It’s not about just money. It’s the props they get from gossiping with their friends about how hot their boyfriend is, how successful he is, the latest designer purse
he
bought for them. That’s why I call it asset-driven. It’s all about collecting trophies that make them
look good and feel good.”

I frowned at him with a bemused smile. “Feeling sorry for yourself, Mr. Bigshot? You realize this is how men have been since the beginning of time? Have to have the hottest girlfriend, flashiest car, best job, blah, blah, blah. The eternal pissing contest, if you will.”

Colt smirked. “You’re totally right. As always. Anyway, I’m not feeling sorry for myself. I do have the flashiest car and best job out of all our peers as far as I know. I’m just irritated that I have to give up the hottest girl.”

My cheeks flushed warm, and I kicked his shin under the table.

“Ow! Jeez! I just gave you a compliment, and that’s the thanks I get.”

Our server arrived with our food so I leaned back and folded my arms.

“Sorry,” I said with contrition. “And I’m not the hottest girl—”

“Whatever.”

“I’m not, and you know it.”

“And that right there, Keri Ann, is what makes you completely fucking breathtaking. No wonder you had Jack Eversea falling for you.”

I paused with a fry halfway to my lips and winked to cover my reaction. “Damn, with that mouth, you should be dropping panties all over Savannah.”

“Well, I was. And I plan to get back to it, now that you won’t have me.”

“I have no doubt.” I laughed. I was beyond relieved Colt and I managed to move out of the date zone with minimal damage to pride and ego. “Are you going to eat those fries?”

“You’ve already stolen five, what’s a few more? Go ahead.” He leaned back and patted his flat waist through his shirt. “Gotta keep trim now that I’m on the scene again.”

“I doubt you’ll have to wait long. So about the party at the Westin. Do you still want to go, or would you prefer to bring a date? I can have Joey take me.”

“What? You mean Mr. Eversea won’t be escorting you? Can you imagine how much more publicity your exhibit will get if he shows up?”

“Frankly, I can’t think of anything worse.” I shuddered, imagining the circus it could become. “But he won’t be going, he doesn’t know about it. And anyway, I told him to stay away from me.”

“First of all, he does know about it, because I told him. And secondly, what on earth makes you think he’ll stay away from you?”

“Colt, I can’t believe you told him. What the hell else did you guys talk about?”

“Hmm … let me think … we covered me threatening him, him threatening me, your event obviously, the fact that I thought he’d been staring too hard at your wet t-shirt. He accused me of the same, whereupon I couldn’t resist joking that it was ‘headlight weather’ and he literally flinched. I could tell I was getting to him, so, of course, I told him I was dating you now and that you made little kitten sounds when you were in bed with me, just to piss him off further, which worked because he went white as a sheet. That’s when I knew I should probably bow out. Not that I told
him
that. A bit of healthy competition works wonders, don’t you think?”

Three and a half hours later, I was late for work, stressed, and shell-shocked. I jabbed at my phone as I drove past the billboard reminding me that texting and driving was illegal in Georgia. I made it across the state line, marked not just by the Savannah River but also a strip club and a farm stand selling over–priced peaches to lost tourists, and pressed send.

Me: Jazz, call me! I’m traumatized.

She didn’t call me, of course. I was defeated in the dress department even after three stores and seven dresses. And the beauty appointment was way out of my comfort zone. I felt like a fluffed poodle.

I made it back to Butler Cove in record time and went straight to the Grill, peeling into the parking lot with a spray of bleached oyster shells. I slunk through the back door of the kitchen.

Hector, eyes wide, was already shaking his head and tutting at me. “Hees here.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, looking hectic.

Dammit!
Paulie, the owner, was notoriously absent off-season. Of course he would show up the one day I was late.

And I was wearing the light pink maxi dress I’d put on to have lunch with Colt instead of what I was supposed to wear, which was shorts and running shoes.

Hector cocked a bemused eyebrow as he took in my appearance.

“Don’t you dare say a word,” I warned him.

Jazz chose that moment to call me.

I regretfully silenced the phone and let it roll to voicemail as I stuffed my bag onto the top shelf of the storeroom. I glanced at my reflection and saw the trial make-up job I was wearing. At least it covered how tired I was. They’d done me over like I was getting married. I had highlights and soft waves in my normally unruly hair. I guessed it was pretty, but I pulled it all into a pony.

I was about to head past Hector and go apologize to Paulie for being late, when he took my shoulders. He set me at arm’s length, gave me a long look with his dark brown eyes, and then sighed.

“It’s okay, Hector.”

His eyes crinkled up. “
Bueno
,” was all he said, and he pulled me into a big hug then pushed me toward the swing door, shaking his head, and making the sign of the cross over his chest.

Okay, weird. I frowned but headed out. Some days I felt like his daughter.

Oh. I stopped dead upon exiting the kitchen.

Oh.

He’s
here.

The place was electrified. Paulie, his back to me at the bar, his gray hair tied back on his neck, was roaring with laughter at something Devon Brown or Jack Eversea said to him from where they sat across the polished wood.

My blood pooled at my feet.

There were no ball caps and hoodies tonight. Jack was in a dark grey t-shirt snug across his muscled chest, his hair flopped down over his brow. His green eyes, set into the angular planes of his face, were creased with laughter. Why, oh why, did he have to get sexier every time I saw him?

The room was abuzz around them.

The mom of a family of four, holding a pen, tapped Jack on his shoulder.

He turned toward her, his smile warm and open, and signed her paper with his beautiful long fingered hands. Then he hopped off his stool as she shoved her smartphone at her nonplussed husband and practically climbed into Jack’s arms for a picture.

I clenched my jaw.

Jack shook hands with the husband, grinning, clapping him on the shoulder.
No hard feelings.

Trying to reconcile the shattered looking Jack from my kitchen in the early hours of this morning with the smiling, carefree,
well-rested,
made-for-movies
looking one in front of me, I stood staring like an idiot. Jack turned to sit back down, and his emerald eyes found mine and locked onto them like he knew I’d been there all along.

My pulse seemed to take one wild beat, and then stop in my throat.

His gaze glided down my dress and back up to my face. Then his lids flickered down half-mast, and he slid his eyes lazily away from me, dragging my heart along for the ride.

“There she is! Keri Ann.” Paulie’s voice shocked me into action like a defibrillator. “Look who we’ve got in tonight. These boys have got this place jumpin’.”

Paulie slapped his hand on the bar. “Glad you could make it.
Finally
.” He raised his bushy white eyebrows as I headed toward him. “What are you wearing?”

“Sorry, Paulie. I was at an appointment in Savannah that … ran long.” I deliberately didn’t answer his embarrassing question.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jack’s hand tense imperceptibly around his drink.
Good
. I hoped he thought I was in Savannah with Colt. And I hoped I was glowing. How dare he come in to the Snapper Grill when I’d asked him to leave me alone? And what was that look he just gave me? That wasn’t playing fair.

“No matter, sweetheart, you’re here now. Brenda’s been doin’ a great job, but if it keeps up like this with word gettin’ out about these two being here, it’ll be a flat out sprint within the hour.”

“Sorry, Paulie,” Devon shrugged. “We can always pitch in, if you need it. I mix a mean drink.”

“Ha!” Paulie hooted loudly. “I may hold you to it, boy! But I’ve got two more guys coming in to help in the kitchen so we should be good.”

“I’ll go check in with Brenda and help her with tables tonight, if that’s okay, so you can entertain our esteemed guests at the bar,” I offered Paulie, willingly giving up bar duty. I then turned to Devon, pointedly ignoring Jack. “Good to see you again, Devon.”

He raised two fingers to his brow, saluting me. “You too, Keri Ann. You’re looking beautiful this evening. Did you have a date today or something?” he asked in a tone I just knew jabbed Jack on purpose.

My skin flushed warm. “Or something,” I managed, but joined his game by cocking my eyebrow and adding a world of innuendo to my simple answer.

“Fuck you, Devon,” I heard Jack hiss at his friend, though his lips barely moved.

Devon smiled and winked at me.

I found Brenda and took over half of her tables. As predicted, the evening was long and busy as word got out about our celebrity guests. It was probably the most exciting thing to happen to Butler Cove residents since they built a new bridge onto the island.