If I Loved You (Harper Falls Book 1) (28 page)

“I can’t believe after all that outfit
anxiety you only brought two suitcases.”

“Dani talked me down and then helped me
decide what to bring. Honestly, Jack, we’re only going to gone a
few days.”

Rose gave him an innocent look which Jack
returned until they both burst out laughing. Shaking his head he
took the bags to the plane and loaded them in the cargo bay.

“Is the pilot already on board?” Rose turned
away so Edgar could have some privacy.

“I’m the pilot.”

Well, that was a surprise. Last night after
dinner, Jack had told her that they would be taking H&W’s
private plane. He hadn’t said anything about being a licensed
pilot.

“Does that make you nervous?”

“Edgar and I trust you completely.”

Jack wondered if she had any idea what
hearing those casually delivered words did to him. Rose trusted
him. He felt humbled that she had added him to a list that he knew
to be very exclusive.

“I once knew a guy who tried to impress me
by giving me a ride in his private plane.”

“Really.” Jack carried a clipboard with a
list of things to check before they could take off.

“Of course,” Rose said, bending down to pet
Edgar, “once he’d given me a ride he then expected
me
to give
him
a
ride. If you know what I mean.”

Finished with his pre-flight routine, Jack
handed the clipboard to an airport employee. He then came over to
Rose, pulling her into his arms.

“Oh, I know what you mean. Do you want me to
track him down and beat him up?”

“Yes.” She wrapped her arms around him.
Tilting her head back, she met his sparkling eyes with her own.
“But since he lives in Buenos Aires, and I doubt your mother would
appreciate us being late, I say we let it go.”

“Okay, but if you change your mind, just let
me know.”

Less than an hour later they were preparing
to land at the airport located just a few miles from where Jack had
grown up. He contacted the tower for instructions, giving the
controller all the required information.

“Jack.” The voice on the radio called
enthusiastically. “Welcome back. We’re all looking forward to
seeing you at the big shindig tomorrow afternoon.”

“Thanks, Jarvis. Tell everyone I’m looking
forward to it, too. How’s Betty?”

“Sassy as always. Hey, I see your dad is
just pulling up. Land safe.”

“When Dad knows I’m flying in he listens for
the plane and drives over to meet me.” Jack banked the plane and
made his final approach.

The landing was as smooth as the rest of the
trip had been. During the flight, Jack told Rose that both he and
Drew had gotten their pilot’s licenses while in college. When they
were able to afford it, they bought their first plane. Sometimes,
when they were flying a long distance, they hired a pilot. But
otherwise they liked to fly themselves.

Jack’s dad was waiting for them at the
hanger. Rose immediately saw the resemblance. Tall and still lean,
Ned Winston’s dark hair was peppered with gray. And though there
were laugh lines around his eyes and mouth, he moved with ease of a
man half his age. His grin was so much like his son’s Rose could
easily imagine how as a younger man he would have attracted women
in droves. And probably still would if he gave them an ounce of
encouragement.

“Welcome.” Ned met Rose as she exited the
plane, reaching out to help her down the steps. “You must be Rose.
Jack’s mother wanted to be here to greet you but if she'd come the
whole bunch of them would have tried to pile into the truck. One
look at that group and you’d have jumped right back on the plane.
Best we immerse you gradually.”

“Dad.” Jack hopped from the plane, Edgar
right on his heels. He gave his father a fierce hug. It was obvious
that both men were comfortable showing their affection for each
other. When they’d finished their greeting, Jack’s dad kept his arm
around his son’s shoulders.

“We’ve been listening to your music, Rose.
Jack’s sister Nina downloaded a whole mess of them and the girls
have been playing them nonstop ever since they arrived yesterday.
You have real talent, young lady.”

“Thank you.” Rose looked over at Jack.
Really
? Jack grinned.

“Don’t worry,” Ned added, winking. “We only
play the PG stuff around the kids. The raunchier stuff is strictly
adults only.”

Rose broke out laughing and Jack’s dad
laughed right with her. What a charmer. Yes, this man must still be
beating them off with a stick.

“Now, look who we have here. Edgar, your
brother has been hopping around for days just waiting for you to
get here.” Ned gave the dog a pat. “What do you say we get that
luggage into the truck and be on our way?”

The ride was a short one. Just as she had
when they were flying overhead, Rose noticed how rural the area
was. Jack had told her he'd grown up on a farm. But until now she
hadn’t been able to imagine him
as
a
farm boy.

“Did you get up every morning before sunrise
and milk the cows?” Rose teased. “And please tell me you had to
walk twenty miles to school through ten feet of snow.”

“As a matter of fact I
did
milk
a
cow.”

“But we let him sleep until dawn.” Ned took
his eyes off the road to send Rose a broad wink. “And it was only
ten miles.”

“Watch the flirting,
old
man
, or I’ll tell Mom on you.”

“That’s a good one,
boy
. There’s no bigger flirt in the county than
your mother. Why, just the other day she had Ansell Waymart
blushing so hard I thought the poor kid was going to expire on the
spot.”

Rose had never been around a father and son
who teased like friends. The affection she’d witnessed when they
greeted each other went beyond a filial bond. They liked each
other. Rose could easily picture them hanging out—talking for
hours. It gave her an odd sensation of warmth in her chest and she
felt a tightening in her throat.

“Hey, you’re awfully quiet.” Jack put his
arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.

“When would she be able to get a word in?
Between the two of us we've been yapping like there was no
tomorrow.” Ned pulled the truck to a stop. “Rose will get the hang
of things soon enough. Around here if you want to be heard? Yell
louder than everyone else.”

The house was an odd hodgepodge of styles.
Painted a pale green with white trim, Rose stood for a moment
trying to decide what the architect had had in mind with such an
eclectic design. The porch was fairly standard, but it wasn’t in a
straight line across the front because there was no straight line
to follow. Now and then the structure would jut out in an
unexpected direction making her imagination go wild with
anticipation for seeing the inside. She pictured interesting
triangular corners and hallways that led to nowhere. Rose was
charmed and hoped at some point during her stay she could get a
detailed tour.

“What do you think of the old place?” Ned
came up to stand next to her. He tilted his head as though he were
looking for the first time, too.

“Honestly? I’ve never seen anything like it
my entire life.” She turned and grinned. “I absolutely love
it.”

“Beautiful
and
great taste. You’re a rare one Rose
O’Brian.”

“Dad built the place pretty much all by
himself,” Jack told her, the pride in his voice unmistakable. “As
the family grew, so did the house. Solid as a rock, too. That house
will be here for generations to come.”

Rose was about to ask Ned how he had managed
it when front door burst open. What seemed like an unending stream
of women, all talking at once, ran at them making Rose wish she was
still in the safety of the truck.

“Jackie.”

Jack scooped up three of the women at once
and twirled them in a circle. Kisses reigned on cheeks and mixed
with laughter and overlapping dialogue. Soon the next impatient
wave was pushing the first three to the side and they repeated
process. Rose knew that Jack had six sisters, but there had to be
fifteen women of varying sizes and ages vying for his
attention.

“Daughters and granddaughters.” Ned looked
on with indulgence. “Jack’s the only boy among them.”

“Your daughters have all had daughters?”
Wow. That was amazing.

“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Course, there are six sons-in-law.” Suddenly Ned’s eyes took on a
look of dreamy affection. “Ah, there she is.”

She
had to be
Jack’s mother. Standing on the porch, hands on hips, quietly
waiting her turn. Rose thought she looked like a queen—a pagan
queen.

Lorna Winston’s short hair was the color of
cotton candy and stuck up in artfully arranged tufts. An easy
flowing top and long skirt gave her look that the fashion magazines
would have termed
boho
chic. Back in
New York Rose had known women who agonized for hours trying to look
that effortlessly put together. Undoubtedly this woman did it every
day of her life without even thinking about it.

“Mom.”

Just that single word, but spoken with
absolute love. Jack gently peeled one of his nieces from his leg
and quickly erased the distance between himself and his mother. She
opened her arms and welcomed her only son, her baby.

Rose felt the tightening in her throat
again. If this kept up, she was going to find it awfully hard to
swallow anything this weekend.

“Now, let's see if you've been taking care
of yourself.” Holding Jack at arm’s length, his mother looked him
up and down. “You seem to be eating regularly. Good color in your
cheeks. But what happened to all your beautiful hair?”

Jack just grinned and pulled his mother in
for another hug.

“Now, why don’t you bring your friend up
here and introduce us. Girls, help bring those bags in and get back
to supervising your men. I know Hal is a chef but the rest of them
don’t know a pairing knife from a meat cleaver.”

Waving as they went by, the group streamed
back into the house. Ned gave her a quick hug and followed behind.
Rose suddenly felt nervous. She’d met the rich and famous, worked
with some of the biggest names in music. But meeting Jack’s mother
was much more intimidating.

“Mom, this is Rose O’Brian. Rose, my mother,
Lorna Winston.”

Rose didn’t know what Jack expected, but he
stood there as if they were going to do something highly
entertaining.

“Alright, you did your duty. Now go see if
your father needs any help in the backyard. He’s setting up tables
and chairs and lord knows what else.” When Jack hesitated, she
simply raised an eyebrow. He gave Rose one last look and then
headed into the house.

“He isn’t worried that I’ll scare you off,”
Lorna assured her. “He
is
worried
that I’ll tell you all kinds of embarrassing stories about him.”
She linked arms with Rose and started to stroll around the yard.
“And believe me I have plenty. But for now I just want to start the
process of getting to know you. You’ve had an interesting career.
Tell me how you got your start.”

And just like that Rose’s nerves flew away.
Lorna Winston put her so at ease that soon Rose felt as if she had
known the woman for years. Lorna had a way about her that was
genuine and welcoming. Oh, Rose suspected she could cut someone
down in a heartbeat. She would be a fierce mother bear if anyone
tried to hurt any of her cubs. But her nature was to gather people
in, to accept them wholeheartedly. It didn’t take Rose long to come
the conclusion that the world would be a better place if every
child could be lucky enough to grow up with a mother like Lorna
Winston.

“There you are.” Jack joined them as they
ended their walk at the back of the house. “Dad needs your
supervision, Mom. He’s afraid he might be putting something in the
wrong place.”

“Was it something in particular?” Lorna gave
Rose an amused look.

“Nope. I think he’s afraid he’ll have to
move everything if you don’t give your approval first.”

“That sounds about right.” Just as her
husband had done, Lorna hugged Rose. It was such a wonderfully
natural gesture. “Now give your mother a kiss and then take Rose
and show her where she’ll be staying.”

Jack dutifully gave his mother’s cheek a
light peck and then took Rose’s hand and led her into the
house.

Knowing she would have time later to
explore, Rose only gave the entry and living room a quick perusal.
Color. That’s what she was her first impression. Happy bursts of
color filled both areas with welcoming appeal. Jack pulled her
along and up the staircase to the first landing. Pictures covered
the walls. Seeing what looked like Jack as his younger self, Rose
decided she would be coming back here, and soon. The next set of
stairs led to a more open loft area that looked down on the living
room. They moved across the room to a door on the far wall.

“With the whole gang here we’re all doubling
up. You get to be my roomie.” He opened the door, moving to the
side so that she could enter first.

Rose was relieved to see that Jack’s parents
hadn’t kept his room as some shrine to his youth. It looked like a
comfortable guest room done in warm shades of blue and brown. The
bed was huge, obviously they knew their son well. And the furniture
wasn’t a boring matchy-matchy. Instead, it complimented the style
of the room.

“Just how many roomies have you had in here,
Jack Rabbit?”

“Besides the ones I snuck in when I was in
high school?” Jack grabbed her and tossed her onto the bed. Before
she could scramble off, he landed on top of her, effectively
trapping her under his hard as rock body.

Rose refused to giggle. Giggling was
undignified. Instead, she hid her grin in the crook of his neck.
Then, just for the hell of it, gave him a big, wet raspberry.