The alarm on the wall of his study beeped. Jackson looked up. The system always sounded a warning when a door or window was opened. Something he considered a necessary precaution with two young children in the house.
He stood and strode to the window. Damn, he hadn’t realized how late it had gotten. Some host he was. He’d mentioned ordering takeout to Raina, but it was already after seven o’clock. It would probably make more sense to take her into town and pick up something. Just then, he saw a blur of color at the edge of the yard. Raina was walking down his driveway with her backpack over her shoulder.
“Where is she going?” He watched as she looked down at something in her hand before turning left. She didn’t look back.
Shit.
“Well, what did you expect?” He cursed under his breath and grabbed his keys off the edge of his desk.
Outside, he waited as his garage door opened with agonizing slowness. Once he was on the street, he gunned his engine. Normally driving the convertible BMW was a pleasure. Today, he only cared that it was fast.
After he left his street he took a right onto Havensbrooke Drive and pressed his foot harder on the accelerator. Several of his neighbors raised a hand in greeting as he passed by, but he didn’t slow down. As he approached the stoplight at the entrance to his community, he cursed. How could she have gotten so far ahead of him on foot? A horn honked behind him and he looked up to see that the light was green. He also saw a small figure turning right on the main road.
“Gotcha.”
He pulled the wheel all the way to the right, cutting off the car that was about to make the turn. He ignored the chorus of honking horns behind him as he passed Raina and parked on the first side street he came to. He jumped out and jogged back to where she stood squinting at the small screen of her phone. When she heard him approach, she looked up absently.
“Excuse me, do you know where…” Her voice trailed off as she met his eyes.
“I’m sure I do but I’m not going to tell you. Why are you walking? Why didn’t you just take one of your cars? Oh wait, if you’re locked out you don’t have your keys. Right. Where are you going anyway?”
She sighed and put her phone back in her pocket. “What does it matter?”
“Well, I was about to order dinner for myself and a guest until I realized said guest left without even saying goodbye.”
She flushed slightly before squaring her shoulders. “Look, it’s not going to happen.”
“What’s not going to happen?”
“Don’t pretend. You know I overheard you talking to your brother. You’ve made your feelings pretty clear; you think all pretty girls are attention whores who are lucky enough to get paid for letting people take their picture.”
He cringed at the word whore but didn’t interrupt.
“And, you know what? That’s fine because maybe I don’t think much of pretty boys who talk about women as if we’re all just vaginas with legs. Either way, I am not sleeping with you. So you can keep your fake sympathy. I’ll just be on my way.” She brushed past him and continued walking.
He jogged after her again.
“Please, wait. I know I’ve given you nothing but the worst possible impression of me today. But I guarantee you there are things about me that will surprise you.”
“I highly doubt that.” She pulled out her phone again, pointedly ignoring him.
“Hey! I’m a very nice person. I pay my taxes. I’ve never been arrested.”
“Good for you.” She didn’t stop walking.
“You already know that I’m a musician,” he added.
“Let me guess, you’re kind of a big deal? Get over yourself.”
Jackson scowled and sped up until he was walking next to her. “How can you think I’m this much of a jerk? Most single fathers don’t have time to do jerky things.”
Raina stopped walking so suddenly that her backpack swung off her shoulder and bumped against her thigh. “Wait, you’re the guy…”
“What?” Jackson asked.
“Nothing.” She swung her bag over her shoulder again but at least she’d stopped running away. “It’s hard to believe you’re the father of those adorable little boys. I used to tell people what a nice guy you were.”
“Usually I am. Today, I am clearly not myself.”
“Okay, well, whatever. I know I’ve said things I was ashamed of later, and Lord knows I put my foot in my mouth more than it’s on the ground. That doesn’t change anything. I seem to attract trouble and I don’t want to bring that down on you or anyone else.”
He shaded his eyes with his hand. “Are you in trouble, Raina?”
She looked away for a moment before her eyes met his again. “I don’t know. I figure staying out of sight is a good idea though. Just in case.”
He looked back at the road. There wasn’t much traffic but they were definitely attracting attention. A blue sedan slowed down as it passed. Jackson lifted a hand in a friendly wave.
“Look, I don’t know the situation, but the idea of you running off alone doesn’t sit right with me. Hiding out at my place would be better than just taking off with no plan at all.”
Raina closed her eyes, her exhaustion so palpable that he knew he’d won.
“Staying does have a certain appeal.”
He turned back to his car, parked haphazardly at the curb behind them. “Let’s go back. At the least you can sleep on it and then make a decision in the morning with a clear head.”
After a moment, she turned toward the car. He opened the door for her and she sank into the luxurious leather interior. He closed the door gently and went around to the driver’s side. Once he started the car, she turned her head toward him.
“Just so you know, you didn’t win that argument. I’m just too tired to fight anymore.”
He put the car in gear before glancing at her. “Believe me, beautiful, I know that. Let’s save the fight for tomorrow.”
“Okay.” She leaned her head back and looked out the window.
The next time Jackson looked at her, she was sound asleep.