Jack's Surrender (Holiday Cove 5)

What felt like hours passed before she came down the stairs. My stomach worked into a tight knot. The suitcase looked heavy. Apparently, wherever she was going, she expected it to be a long trip.

“Are you sure?” I asked, meeting her eyes.

She nodded. “I’m going to do my paperwork tomorrow, and then I’m going to spend the weekend with Rachel.”

“And after that?”

“I don’t know.”

I nodded and slid my hands in my pockets. It was the only way to restrain myself from grabbing her. I knew if I wrapped my arms around her I wouldn’t be able to let go again.

“I’m sorry, Jack.”

I shook my head. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for, Holly. I’m the asshole who ruined our night.”

She fidgeted at the base of the stairs and I would have paid anyone a million dollars if they could have read her mind. After another long, agonizing minute, she crossed the room and went to the front door. “Hunty, come on.” The sound of his leash jangling got both dogs all jumpy and excited. I rushed forward and snagged Princess by the collar.

“Not now, girl,” I whispered into her silky ear.

Holly gave me a sad smile and straightened from clipping Hunter’s leash on. “I’ll call you when I’m ready, okay?”

My throat closed up and I barely managed to croak out a reply. “Okay.”

My whole world crumbled down in front of me as I watched her walk out the door.

“She just left?”

I nodded miserably at Aaron’s question. “She said she doesn’t recognize me anymore.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Hell if I know.”

“Damn,” he said, scrubbing a hand over his jaw that was sporting at least three days’ worth of scruff. “Talk about a fuckin’ roller coaster.”

“No shit.”

He set his wrench aside and grabbed a pair of pliers. We were side by side, working on our latest project, an old F-4 Phantom. The thing was a hunk of junk, but Aaron was convinced it would be beautiful when it was done. He had a soft spot for the diamond in the rough projects. “You want me to have Gemma call her? She can play it off like she doesn’t know what’s going on.”

I considered it but then shook my head. “No, that’s all right.”

Aaron sank back beside me and continued tinkering on the motor. “She’ll come back,” he added after a long moment.

I nodded but with each passing hour, I was questioning whether or not she would ever come back. Or if she did, would it just be long enough to say goodbye.

Aaron and I fell into an easy rhythm, working mostly in silence as we meticulously tended to the battered engine. Hours passed and when we reached a good stopping point, things were starting to take an upward swing.

Aaron wiped his gritty hands off on a shop towel and then tossed it to me. I used the other side and scrubbed my own hands. We assessed our work, the same tilt to each of our heads, and then exchanged a satisfied grin. “Not bad,” Aaron said. “I know being a grease monkey isn’t exactly your thing, but I gotta say, Boomer, you have a knack for it.”

I slapped him on the back and smiled. “This was a one-time deal. Nick’s gonna get the pleasure of figuring out what the fuck is wrong with this thing. I have flights booked all afternoon.”

Aaron laughed. “Your lucky day.”

I chuckled and wadded the towel into a ball before sending it in an arc across the shop. It landed in the pail by the long work bench and I gave Aaron a smug smile. “Damn, I still got it.”

Aaron rolled his eyes and gave me a shove. “Yeah, come on hot shit. Let’s get something to eat. I’m fucking starved. Gemma’s on this pre-wedding cleanse and all she keeps at the house is rabbit food.”

I laughed at the idea of Gemma chasing after Aaron, fussing for him to eat a kale salad. I wasn’t even sure Aaron knew what kale looked like. “Starting a little early, isn’t she?”

“Oh! I forgot to tell you…” He pivoted on his heel to face me. “We booked a place. September twelfth. Franklin Chapel.”

“Oh, wow.”

“Yeah. We saw it a few weeks back but couldn’t make up our minds. Then she had this really vivid dream the other night and decided it was a sign. She’s not normally like that, so I just went with it. It’s a really nice chapel and we’ll do the reception at that swanky hotel up the beach.”

“Congrats, Player. I’ll be there.”

“Well, no shit,” he fired back with a laugh. “You’re my best man. Gemma’s counting on you to keep me from bolting. And don’t call me that in front of her. She still gets bitchy about it.”

We smiled at each other. We both knew there was no way he’d run. Gemma had his attention from day one and since she’d been the only one who had even come close to taming the once-wandering Romeo, I had no doubt she’d keep him.