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I couldn’t win. I hated being in LA without him. I hated being here without him. It was time for me to stop holding Jack accountable for things he didn’t do. And if I truly didn’t want to live my life without him in it, I needed to act accordingly. Be strong and trust that he was tough enough to deal with my emotional baggage. My choosing to keep things from him only placed a heavier burden on my shoulders. And Jack never asked me to do that. That was a choice I made to make things easier on Jack, but in the end, it only made me resentful.
I spent the next couple of days on the phone with both Melissa and Nora, working out the potential details for the magazine article. Nora was thrilled to help but made it clear there was a need for the story, especially now. She pressed me to firm up a date as soon as possible, insisting that the longer we waited to speak out, the more potential things had to escalate. I promised her that I’d ask Jack as soon as he came home, and then hoped he’d still speak to me. Melissa and Nora were also up to something, I sensed it, but neither would admit a thing.
I was restless the entire day Jack was due to come home. Pacing while I waited, I practically held my breath for him to walk through the door. A bottle of wine called out to me while I paced, so I stopped and poured myself a glass. I desperately needed to ease the tension running through me.
I stepped outside on the balcony and leaned on the railing, the summer heat beating down on my bare shoulders. Lights switched on and buildings lit up from the inside out as I sipped my wine, watching the city come alive. This city held its own kind of magic. You just had to know where to look.
The front door slammed shut, and I whipped around to see Jack standing in the entryway staring at me. I wanted to leap into his muscular arms, but resisted and just walked slowly back inside. He looked so damn good in his travel attire of black slacks and a white collared shirt with a black tie. I was tempted to rip his clothes from his body and throw them in a pile on the floor.
“Hey. ” He nodded curtly in my direction, his voice devoid of any emotion.
“Hi,” I answered softly, terrified that this could be the end.
“When’d you get back?” He glanced around at the kitchen and the living room.
“A couple days ago. ”
He dropped his bag at his feet and opened the fridge. Pulling out a beer, he twisted the top off before taking a long swig.
“Jack, listen,” I started, unable to wait any longer before working things out between us.
His eyes widened as he moved to our kitchen table. Pulling out a seat, he plopped down. “I’m all ears. ”
“I am so sorry for everything. I should have told you about the kiss the second it happened, but I just wanted to forget it. And I’m sorry for running out on you without even giving you a chance to talk. I’ve realized that I really suck at talking things out, and I promise you that I’m going to work on it. If you’ll let me, I mean. ”
My chest tightened as I looked at him, trying to gauge his reaction before I continued. “Leaving you here all alone to deal with the fallout of Chrystle’s article was wrong of me. You were right when you said I didn’t take your feelings into consideration. ” I averted my eyes briefly before looking back at him. “I didn’t even think about how you felt. I only thought about myself. And I’m so embarrassed to even admit that to you, but it’s the truth. ”
I took two short, steadying breaths. “Jack, I know I’m not perfect, but I’m really hoping you’re not ready to give up on me yet. I don’t have gifts or love letters or anything like you had. But what I can give you is my word, my promise, my vow to you. Which I will back up with actions, by the way. ” I forced a slight smile and thought I saw his expression soften.
“I promise to stand by you and not run away when things get tough,” I told him solemnly. “I promise to always talk to you about the things that are bothering me, no matter how stupid and insignificant I think they are. I promise to be a better team player. Because there isn’t a game on earth I want to play if you’re not by my side. ”
My eyes filled with tears as my emotions overwhelmed me. “I love you. I don’t want to be anywhere without you. You told me once that I was your game changer, but the thing is, you’re mine too. It took me a little time to realize that, but I finally did. You’re my game changer. Because nothing else matters if you’re not with me. ”
Jack pushed back from his chair and walked over to me. “I love you, Kitten. ”
I stood up and pulled me to him, crushing my chest against his. We squeezed each other like we’d never touched before, all space disappearing between us. “I’m so sorry, Jack. I know I’m a pain in the ass. ”
He nodded. “Yeah, but you’re my pain in the ass. ”
“Do you forgive me?” I pressed my wet face against his shirt.
“Of course, I forgive you. ” He tilted my head up and pressed his lips against mine.
“There’s more,” I pulled back from the kiss.
“More what?” he asked.
I hesitated, nervous that he might hate the idea. Jack had always been a private person, and I wasn’t convinced he’d be willing to invite the public into our personal space. “I want to fix everything. I want people to stop hating us and believing the things they read and think they see. The magazine said they would be willing to interview us. They’d call it a local human-interest story, but it really would be our way of setting the record straight. Nora and Melissa both think this will help our public image. Especially in light of Chrystle’s accusations and the Matteo picture, but they want to do it as soon as possible. ”
“Do we get to throw Chrystle under the bus?”
“Every step of the way. We can address whatever we want. Nora said we would have a lot of creative control, but she’d make sure we came out on top. What do you think?”
“Let’s do it. ”
“Really?” I thought he would argue more, or be more concerned.
“Really. I think this is the best way for people to hear the truth. And since it’s the magazine you work for, I trust it will be done right. ”
