AllFreeNovel
Share Us
* * *
Taylor had rehearsed what she’d say to Jack a thousand times in her head on the drive to Chattanooga. Now that she was with him, had set eyes on him, she could barely string two words together.
Maybe his haircut and being clean-shaven had thrown her. She’d never seen him without his hair being long. He looked amazing, but she missed his tousled, I don’t care look.
He wore his khaki shorts and a T-shirt—one of his Rockin’ Tyme shirts, which made her smile. The shirt seemed fitting for her arrival and what she wanted to tell him. She’d acknowledged that she’d torn free of her chrysalis and emerged a different woman after her divorce. But she hadn’t found her wings until Rockin’ Tyme.
Until Jack.
He’d encouraged her to spread those wings and take flight, teaching her to trust in herself and soar. His voice hadn’t overridden hers but had instead encouraged her, lifted her. No matter what happened, no matter what he said, she would be fine, would continue to fly.
She’d just fly higher with him beside her.
“You here for the tough-guy competition tomorrow?”
She laughed at the absolute absurdity of her competing in the event. “I’m not near tough enough for that. You?”
He grinned. “Working medical.”
“What’s next for you, Jack?”
He hesitated to answer and she wondered if he’d tell her to mind her own business, that he didn’t want her to know his schedule or showing up where he was.
“I’ve a little time off coming up, then I’m headed to Las Vegas for a few weeks.”
“I’ve never been to Las Vegas.” Yeah, that had been wistfulness in her voice.
His brow arched.
“I’ve not been to a lot of places,” she continued. “But I plan to change that.”
He stared at her and she didn’t blame him. She wasn’t making a lot of sense.
“I’m quitting my job, Jack.” Which probably didn’t make sense to him either. He didn’t know that she’d saved every spare dime over the past year, had quite a nice little nest egg, and if she lived tight, could get by for quite some time.
Concern twisted his face. “What? What happened?”
“You happened.”
His brows drew together as he visibly tried to make sense of what she was saying.
“Warrenville will always be special,” she continued. “But I want to see the world, to travel and not define myself by where I live or work.”
Had she not been watching him so closely she might have missed the flash of disappointment that appeared on his face before he said, “I’m happy for you, Taylor.”
That flash of disappointment nearly did her in. She didn’t understand why he’d be disappointed, but she pressed onward. This was too important to lose her voice, her nerve now.
“What I want is for you to be happy for us, Jack.”
“Us?”
Here went everything.
“You told me if I ever needed you, that I knew where to find you. Well, I’ve found you
, Jack, so it’s time for you to tell me exactly what you meant by your comment.”
* * *
