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I roll my eyes prepared to defend myself against Ellen’s constant teasing when she pounds on the window and calls Jack’s name.
“Oh my god! What are you doing?” I screech, practically falling flat on the ground to hide from him as he looks over at us. I didn’t think she meant she wanted me to ask him now. I’m not prepared to have this impromptu conversation with him especially after what happened last night.
“Asking Jack if he wants the job,” she responds swinging open the door and calling to him again. “Settle down. I won’t ask him if he wants you too, because that’s obvious.”
“Jack!” Ellen shouts across the open field to him and flags him over with her hand. She’s waiting in the doorway when he walks up and she steps aside to let him in.
He’s breathing heavy and his chest moves with each breath he takes, stopping me from thinking about anything but him naked. I memorize every part of him as he stands there; the small scar that hits right above where his jeans are slung low on his hips, the shape of his collarbone and how my head fit there perfectly when we were dancing, and his hands, his calloused, strong hands that I’d give anything to feel on my body again.
I’ve never felt such a mix of emotions in my life. My heart is racing, my stomach fluttering, a pent up mess of anxiety and nervousness; worried that I’m going to say something idiotic or that I’ve assumed something that isn’t even there.
“Hey, Lu,” Jack says, and Ellen smirks at me.
She cuts right to the chase, no small talk, no making sure I’m not being super fucking weird.
“Lauren and I were wondering if you’d be interested taking on a few other jobs around here. Obviously we’d pay you and you’re kinda already doing them.”
“Maintenance work?” Jack asks and I nod my head. “Yeah sure. Don’t have much else going on until the parts come in and it looks like you could use an extra hand around here.”
Jack winks at me and clearly he isn’t at all affected by what happened last night. He’s back to his arrogant self and assuming every woman in the world is into him, including me. He’ll probably run off after this to flirt with Penny.
“Check in with Lauren tomorrow and she’ll set you up with what needs to be done. Sound good?” she asks, looking between Jack and me, giving us both a nod.
“Always happy to check in with Lu,” Jack says, smiling at me and shooting me a flirting glance that doesn’t go unnoticed by Ellen.
“One more thing,” she says catching Jack before he walks out the door and turning to face me. “Can you watch the kids tonight? Will and I want to actually have a quiet dinner alone.”
“Of course I can. They can stay the night too,” I tell her and she thanks me, but the look on her face tells me that this isn’t the only thing she needs to say.
Ellen bites her bottom lip and lets out a slow breath. “Any chance you’re free too, Jack?” she asks, her nose scrunched and her teeth pressed together like she’s willing him to give her the answer she’s hoping for.
For fuck’s sake my sister is trying to set me up.
“Oscar’s really hoping you’ll be there,” she adds, using her kid as her excuse. “Not that they’re not excited about seeing you, Lauren, but you know.” She shrugs her shoulders, but she doesn’t say anymore knowing I realize Jack is a novelty, something new.
“Nothing going on,” Jack says. “If it’s okay with Lu…”
“It’s okay with Lu,” Ellen says and I roll my eyes, but she gives a quick raise of her eyebrows and tight-lipped smile that tells me to shut up and just go with it.
So I do.
Several hours later Ellen has wrangled up the kids and shoved them through my front door, shouting a thank you to me as she climbs into her car before I even have a chance to greet her.
“She needs a night out,” Oscar comments, flopping down on the couch dramatically. “Jack coming over?”
“He is,” I answer as I go into the kitchen to finish making dinner.
I can hear Olivia and Oscar whispering in the other room and I know they’re up to something, possibly something their mother has helped them set up. I’m interested to see how this evening plays out.
Jack knocks on the door just as I’m putting the grilled cheeses on plates. Nothing fancy but the kids aren’t too particular. Hopefully Jack isn’t either.
They’re both screaming and jumping on him when I walk into the room with the food. One of their favorite parts about staying with me is watching a movie and eating in front of the TV.
I set the plates down on the coffee table, but Olivia shakes her head and simply states that we must eat in the kitchen. This is an interesting turn of events, so I move everything back to the kitchen, setting the plates on the island.
Once everyone has convened around the island, Oscar grabs a bottle of wine from the rack and sets it down in the center.
“Having wine tonight?” he asks, looking from me to Jack and back. “Does this pair well with grilled cheese?”
