He smirked.
She took a bite of the velvety orange sweetness and then fed him another. They finished the small dessert that way, taking turns, trading bites. After she gave him the last bite, she took the spoon and tray and set it aside
“Can I stay with you?”
“He’ll be out of surgery any time. All my relatives are here and I don’t want to make you spend hours and hours with them. They’ll grill you to the bone. And I can’t take it right now. I just can’t. Please understand. I’ll call and let you know how it goes. It means everything to me that you came here and made a horrible day so much better. I love you.”
He kissed her forehead but she could see he was already abstracted, already thinking of his father’s battle for recovery, and that she might possibly be in the way. She wasn’t offended. She knew he loved his dad and was loyal to him. The best thing she could do for Jack was to be available to him when he had the space of a few minutes for himself, so she could bolster his strength and remind him he was loved. Britt kissed his cheek and let him walk her out to her car. They held hands and walked in silence. He turned and looked at her once, smiling sheepishly as if they’d just gotten away with something naughty, which they had, and then he hugged her at her car.
“Thank you for everything,” he said.
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ll call you.”
“I’ll be waiting,” she said.
Britt was brushing her teeth before bed when she got the text from Jack that his dad had come through surgery just fine and was out of recovery. Jack was going to spend the night on a couch in the waiting room and said he’d talk to her in the morning because he was really worn out. She smiled and texted back that she loved him. Although it wasn’t nearly as perfect as falling asleep in Jack Fitzsimmons’ arms, she liked falling asleep with her phone beside her, knowing his call would be the first one she received. He was thinking of her and he felt nearby, as if their connection could transcend mere geographic distance and encompassed them wherever they might pass the night.
Chapter 3
A week passed and Jack’s dad was doing well. Everyone cheered for his recovery. Jack came back to work and started to work some long hours to catch up. Over the last week, he’d let everything pile up.
Britt came up to the office with a bottle of wine and a bag slung over her shoulder that contained wrapped up wine glasses so they wouldn’t break. Jack had already eaten but she thought maybe they could have a romantic moment. Nothing major, maybe just a long kiss and a little chat over wine. At this late hour, nobody would be there. She wouldn’t stay long. Just long enough to hear about his day in person. What she didn’t expect was to run into Jim Marten.
“Hi, Britt,” he said. “What are you doing here so late?”
“Same as you.”
He smiled. “What’s with the wine?”
She bit her lip pondering how to explain why she was heading to Jack’s office with a bottle of wine.
She laughed. “We’re having a secret affair.”
He roared in laughter. “That was a good one, Britt. I bet you screwed up and you’re trying to make peace with him.”
“You caught me red-handed.”
“I’ve never seen you screw up. What did you do?”
She blew out a long breath. “Those forms, I...”
“You don’t have to tell me.”
Britt smiled. “You have a good night, Jim.”
“I’m on my way out. I can wait while you drop that off, then walk you to your car.”
“I’m a big girl.”
“Oh, just FYI. Next time, I wouldn’t do wine. He has a girlfriend.”
Britt’s heart skipped a beat. Did he really have a girlfriend? Was he just dating her for a little side action at work? She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Wouldn’t want his girlfriend getting jealous now, would you? That could cause a lot of trouble. Just get him a fruit basket. It says the same thing, ya know.”
Britt nodded. “Okay, then. Um, I didn’t know he had a girlfriend.”