So Wright (The Wrights 1)

Her heart lightened. “That’s fantastic.”

“It’s so good to see the dad I know coming back. And the attorneys have made headway in the embezzlement problem with the company. I’m hoping all the financial problems are gone by the time Dad’s ready to go back to work.”

She breathed easier—for him and herself. “That’s such good news.”

“Yeah, yeah, it is.”

Miranda choked up the nerve to dive in. “So, about work—”

“I do have some bad news though—”

They spoke at the same time.

“Bad news?” she asked. “More trouble with the company?”

“Not the one here, but the one back home.” He’d sobered, and something about his demeanor made Miranda brace herself. “Work is really piling up. They want me back in the office. At least during the week. The firm can’t manage all the work with two partners out on leave.”

It took Miranda a second to figure out what he was saying. When she did, some distant, primal part of her shut down. She felt it like a click in her chest. It was automatic and instinctive.

He’s leaving.

The mind played such sick games. Like the way it was telling her that everyone she loved eventually left. And that made her realize just how much she was hoping there would be more to it. More to them. Another layer of barriers slid into place.

She’d known this would happen, but still somehow hadn’t expected it. At least not this soon and not with so much left unsaid between them.

Miranda eased her hand from his and picked up her glass. “I guess it’s better to have too much work than not enough.”

“Right now, it’s just a quick trip to Tampa,” he was saying. “A couple of days at the most. Once that’s done, I can check in with the office to see when they need me back.”

Intellectually, she knew her emotions were irrational. It didn’t matter that what was happening now wasn’t what had happened in the past. The pain felt the same, and her brain lumped this situation in with all the others. The father figures who’d floated in and out of her life. Her mother, who’d been more of a child and ultimately a complete flake. Her siblings going off to live with new families. Her friends who’d left town for college.

They all said they’d stay in touch, but then never did. It was just something people said.

Her thoughts must have shown on her face. Jack reached for her hand and curled his fingers around hers. “Hey, it’s not that bad. Flights between JFK and here are quick and cheap. I’m going to be home a lot more to help my dad transition back into work. And you’re so busy, you probably won’t even notice I’m gone.”

She only heard half of what he was saying. Her heart struggled between keeping him in and pushing him out. And when the hell had her heart come into any of this?

“Miranda.” His serious tone drew her focus. “I know what you’re doing. I can see it in your face. Don’t pull away. I’m saying I want to keep seeing you.”

Instinct overpowered desire and dreams. She pulled her hand from his and took another drink of her water. There was no point in telling him who she was or what she did. There was no point in even entertaining the idea of continuing to see him. She was far too much of a realist to believe fantasies ever turned into reality.

“I appreciate the interest, Jack, but I think you know as well as I do that keeping this going isn’t realistic.” Now that the ax had fallen, she had an urgent need to get out of the restaurant. Away from Jack. Back to a place where her feet touched the ground. Where she could breathe. “Your family needs you. Your company needs you. Your life is somewhere else. It would be foolish to think otherwise. Let’s just appreciate what we had and move on.”

She slid toward the end of the booth, but Jack grabbed her hand again. “Whoa, Miranda, no. No, no, no. I don’t want to let this go. You’re important to me. I’m crazy about you. We can do this. The travel doesn’t have to be a big deal.”

She absolutely couldn’t invest her heart in this man. It was all too complicated. She’d let him cloud her judgment. She’d let him in. She should have known better.

“It’s not just the travel, Jack. You haven’t thought it through. You just got this news, and you’re trying to juggle all your responsibilities. Once you start trying to split yourself between your work and your family, you’ll realize adding me into the mix isn’t going to work. I’d rather part now with good memories than spend months trying to force something, only to end with bad feelings.”

She stood and gave his hand one more squeeze. “Wrong time, wrong place for both of us. Stay amazing, Jack.”

19

Jack opened the front door of his father’s house with his heart at his feet and frustration still humming through his body. His nephews’ laughter floated down from the second floor, where he knew bath and bedtime probably had Jen wanting to tear her hair out.

Now that he’d absorbed the impact of Miranda’s rejection, Jack pulled his phone from his pocket and texted her. I really want to talk more about this. I care about you. I know this is complicated, but we can do this.

He shoved his phone back into his pocket and started toward the stairs to give Jen a hand with the boys. These kids had a way of lightening his heart. And he desperately needed that now.