Loving Jack (10 page)

“Hello?” Jack said. “Are you still there?”

“Yes.” Grace cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. I was asleep when you called, Jack. This is Grace.”

Then it was Jack’s turn to be silent. Grace gave him a moment before saying, “Did I lose you?”

“No. I’m here. Sorry, it’s just kind of wonderful to hear your voice after so long.” He coughed and Grace had the feeling he hadn’t meant to blurt out that admission. “I called because I’m in town, in New York that is, and I was wondering if we could get together.”

Jack was here, in New York? Grace swallowed hard and tried to calm her pounding heart. Yes, she had been in love with Jack. Yes, he had crushed her tender heart. But that was a long time ago. She was an adult for God’s sake! She could see him now and it wouldn’t affect her at all. She could. And if she kept telling herself that lie maybe it would become the truth. Grace took a deep breath. She would meet Jack for a cup of coffee, they would catch up for a bit, and he would head back to the west coast, the other side of the country, where he belonged. As far away from Grace as possible.

“Sure, Jack, how about we catch up over coffee?” Coffee was good. They could meet in a busy place and chat. Grace would have a latte but Jack would order chai, because he didn’t like coffee. The fact that she still remembered that was kind of sad.

“I have a meeting in thirty and I’m flying out this evening. Can you do lunch at Houndstooth on 8th and 36th, say one o’clock?” he sounded so hopeful.

Grace could never tell Jack no. Well except for when she’d refused to share him . . . and when she’d changed her mind about moving to Seattle . . . and every time he asked her to visit. So she supposed she did have the ability to say no. But did she have the will to say no when he was so close? It was only lunch. It was lunch in a busy British style pub at that. She knew the place well. Grace had taken clients there for drinks from time to time. It was a nice place with a relaxed atmosphere and the fish and chips were awesome. The Houndstooth was just as good as a coffee shop. There would be a big lunch crowd, even on Sunday. So it wouldn’t be intimate at all.
 

A few hours later Grace stood outside of the Houndstooth adjusting the strap of her favorite powder blue sun dress and praying she wouldn’t vomit on the side walk. Her nerves were shot. After hanging up with Jack she’d showered and obsessed over what she should wear. It was a hot day in Manhattan so she selected something light. The dress was something she would wear on any given Sunday, so she could tell herself she hadn’t chosen it just for him. He may have broken her heart, but Grace was still a proud woman. Looking your best could be like armor against your insecurities. It had taken her a long time after Jack to re-enter the dating pool. The experience had left Grace feeling inadequate. She knew it was all in her head and Jack never intended to hurt her, but there it was and her self-esteem had taken a hit. So she’d taken extra time with her make-up and twisted her hair into an easy but stylish up-do. She didn’t want to be seen as lacking, again.

Grace laughed at herself. She was being ridiculous. Jack was probably happily married with 2.5 kids and a dog by now. Maybe he married Victor and they’d adopted. Maybe he found the woman of his dreams. Grace had no idea. She took a deep breath and blew it out. Jack was in town for business. He reached out to an old girlfriend to have lunch. That was it. It had nothing to do with their past. She smiled to herself. It was going to be wonderful to see him. Even if it broke her heart all over again to listen to Jack talk about his wonderful family, Grace would be genuinely pleased for him. Jack was a good man. He deserved every happiness the fates could provide.
 

She was beginning to think Jack was standing her up when one-thirty rolled around and there was still no sign of him. She’d been so flustered by his call that she hadn’t thought to ask him for his number. She decided to go in and have a drink . . . a very strong drink. She’d just pulled open the door to enter the pub when she heard her name called in that familiar deep voice that replayed in her dreams.

“Grace!”
 

Jack was coming around the corner at a hurried clip. Grace took him in from head to toe and her foolish heart did exactly what she feared it would do, it leapt with hope and longing all over again. He was just as handsome as she remembered, even more so now. He was broader through the chest and maybe even a little taller than she remembered. Jack looked a little untidy in a way that was unlike him with his hair in disarray, his tie loosened and the top button of his shirt undone. She supposed if he’d run to meet her in this heat he would be mussed.
 

Jack didn’t slow down as he approached her; instead he swept Grace up into his arms and hugged her to his chest. Grace wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight. Her feet dangled as Jack swayed a bit with her in his arms. She giggled, delighted by the warm reception and her heart became buoyant in her chest.

“I’ve missed you so fucking much, Gracie,” he said into her hair.

“I’ve missed you, too, so much,” she admitted.

“Chrissake, you’re so damn beautiful, even more perfect than I remembered.” Grace warmed under the praise of the one man she would ever really want to hear such words from and believe them. And hadn’t she just been thinking the same of him?

Someone cleared their throat from behind Jack and he stiffened. Slowly he lowered her to the ground and stepped back a pace. Grace blinked up into his hazel eyes in confusion. Jack had gone from the man she remembered and missed so desperately, to a near stranger in a moment. He blushed and much of the warmth bled from his expression. Jack stepped aside to reveal the person standing behind him. She was a stunning woman who reminded Grace of a 1950s pin-up model in her navy blue polka dot dress and red heels. Her shapely figure reminded Grace of an old glass Coke bottle with all those dangerous curves. Her curly, coffee colored hair was swept up in a twist that was secured with two decorative sticks. Her dark eyes, which also reminded Grace of the deep brown shade of coffee without cream, glowed with amusement. Her deep red painted lips smiled indulgently at Grace and Jack. She was stunning! Was this woman Jack’s girlfriend, or worse, his wife?

Jack gestured toward Miss America 1950 and said, “Grace, I’d like to introduce you to Rachel Riggs, my business partner.” He gestured toward Grace, “Rachel, this is Grace Yates, one of my dearest friends from college.”

Grace was still absorbing her demotion from girlfriend to friend when she shook Miss America’s hand. It seemed that Jack didn’t want Rachel to know they had been more than friends. It was looking like Rachel really was more than just his partner. Grace wanted to hate her.

Some pleasantries were exchanged before they moved into the pub and Jack requested a table for three. They followed the hostess across the hardwood floor, past the square bar in the center of the pub and up three steps to the tables along the windows. Rachel looked around the pub with interest, admiring the floor to ceiling woodwork and the Union Jack flag hanging over the rear entry.
 

Jack seated Rachel near the window before seating Grace on the opposite side of the table. Jack took the chair next to Rachel. The waiter took their drink order and hurried away. Rachel was inspecting the menu. Jack was peaking up at Grace from behind his menu. Grace felt like she might be sick, so she didn’t bother opening her menu. She was such an idiot. When Jack called she’d assumed it would be just the two of them. It had never been, “just the two of them,” why would that change now?

“Thank you for taking the time to meet with us on such short notice, Ms. Yates,” said Rachel after she placed her order of fish and chips.

“Please, call me Grace,” Grace instructed Rachel. There was no need to be so formal with Jack’s old “friend”.

Jack ordered a burger. Grace decided she wasn’t hungry. “We just flew in yesterday and have to get back to the office in the morning. I’m sorry we couldn’t schedule a meeting during normal business hours. Then again, this discussion wouldn’t really be appropriate for your office.” Rachel smiled a perfectly straight white-toothed smile at Grace.

What? Why would Grace want to meet them at work? Jack nudged Rachel’s arm with his elbow and she looked at him sharply.

“What?” Rachel asked. Jack ignored her.

“I asked you to meet us today to make a business proposal.” Jack reached across the table as if to take Grace’s hand but he yanked it back before he touched her and put his hands in his lap.
 

Grace frowned. This was a business proposal. They must need her firm’s services. Jack wanted to be a client. He hadn’t called to catch up with her personally or to make an attempt at reconnecting. God! She was such an idiot! She really hoped the disappointment swelling in her gut wasn’t plain on her face.

“Artifex, that’s our company, has grown by leaps and bounds in the last couple of years. We’re in a hurry to get back to Seattle because we just acquired a new building and we’re moving this week. We do web development of all kinds from small business owners to mega corporations. We recently developed a product that allows people to design their website with easy templates and lots of choices to make the site individually unique to the client. We certainly aren’t the first in the market, but the non-commercial and small business side of the company has exploded,” he explained with a grin. Jack was clearly proud of the company he’d built with Rachel.
 

Rachel looked annoyed with her partner. She’d just realized that Grace hadn’t been informed of the reason for their visit. “Jack and I both do development and graphic work, but I’ve become more absorbed by the day-to-day running of the business in the office. I deal with our rapidly growing staff and the new web-building site. Jack focuses on our commercial customers.”

“Congratulations on your success,” Grace tried to smile. “I don’t really see how I could be of service unless you’re interested in hiring my firm to manage your portfolio. Unfortunately, I don’t have a creative or techy bone in my body.”

“That’s that not what we need from you, Grace.” Jack leaned back so the waiter could deliver their food before he continued. “What Artifex needs is a financial mind. Rachel and I have done okay up to this point, but the business has grown past our ability to maintain the design and financial aspects on our own. Neither of us enjoys the money managing end of things. We’re just not numbers people.”

“What we need is a CFO,” Rachel put in. “We need a partner in the business to deal solely with all of those very important money matters,” Rachel gestured between herself and Jack, “so we can focus on the creative end of things and bringing in new business.”

“That’s where you come in.” Jack smiled broadly at her. Grace’s stomach flipped. That smile had the power to destroy her. “We’d like you to come out to Seattle and spend some time at Artifex. Check out our operation. Have a look at our books. Talk to our employees.”

“Basically we want you to come out and see if you think Artifex could become your new home. Spend some time in Seattle to see if it’s a place that could grow on you.” Rachel now beamed as broadly as Jack.

“Come be our bean counter, Grace,” Jack pleaded. Rachel swatted his arm.

Grace couldn’t help laughing at the reference to their past and the way Jack had described people like her. Grace shook her head and rested her face in her hands. She’d just been offered a junior executive position in New York. Now she had the offer of full partner for an upstart company on the other side of the country, Jack’s side of the country, and Jack’s company.

“I need time to think about this. I was just offered a junior executive position with my firm. That’s pretty amazing at my age and I have to weigh my options carefully,” Grace explained. Jack frowned.

Rachel smile widened. “You weren’t kidding when you said she was the best, Jack.” She slapped him on the back. Jack continued to watch Grace with a grimace on his succulent mouth.

“It will be hard to weigh those options accurately if you don’t at least come have a look at Artifex. We’re offering you a full partnership and very competitive salary. It’s worth your time, Grace.” Jack had put on his game face. Did he think she wouldn’t have any better options available to her? Grace hadn’t been a workhorse in school and at work for nothing. She’d already paid some serious dues in her industry. It was going to take more than a vacation to the west coast to sell her on the move.

“I’ll email you the details of our offer as soon as we’re done here, Grace.” Rachel was definitely the more business minded of the two. She knew Grace would need to see the numbers and do a detailed analysis of the company.

Grace rose from her chair and gathered her purse. She promised to contact them when she’d made a decision one way or the other. They would need to move on with the search for a CFO if she wasn’t interested in uprooting her life in New York. Jack gave her his card and she tucked it into her wallet. She needed time to think. If she sat there any longer Jack might convince her to leave Stein and Watson using nothing more than his smile and those ever changing hazel eyes. He wanted to follow her outside but Rachel wisely grabbed his elbow to stop him when she walked away. He wanted to do what Jack did best and steamroll Grace into his way of thinking. Well, she wouldn’t let him do it.
 

By the time Grace made it back to her small but stylish apartment, her brain was swimming with possibilities. The recent unrest in her life wouldn’t be ignored. Her initial reaction to the offer of a junior executive position at Stein and Watson had been less than positive. Her life was a never ending cycle of days and nights spent making other people’s dreams of financial security grow and thrive. Of course, in doing so, she had secured her own financial destiny. She had her own very comfortable portfolio. Could she give up her hard earned position to start over at Artifex? It would be a huge risk but Grace would be a partner in the business. It would be her own dreams she was building on, instead of that of her clients and the company that paid her salary.