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Jack and Kelly were married last May to ensure Jack remained CEO of his father’s company, Sutton Capital. They remarried in August after they fell in love during a whirlwind romance that took everyone, including them, by surprise.
Andrew had been happy to discover he really liked having Kelly around. She was a sister in the same way Jack felt like a brother. He loved them both and was more than happy they’d found each other. Still, at times lately, Andrew had pangs of jealousy for the life Jack had found with Kelly.
Andrew had fallen in love once before and discovered just how dangerous it was to share such intimate feelings with someone. The woman he loved had betrayed Andrew’s love. Had also taken money from Andrew’s parents in the process and the deception left him crushed and reeling from the blow.
He didn’t doubt he might fall in love again someday, but he would have a problem revealing that love if he did. There was no way he wanted to make himself that vulnerable again. He just couldn’t imagine putting himself in that position, even if that meant he could never have what Jack and Kelly shared.
Pushing that regret aside once again, Andrew smiled at the happy couple in front of him.
“What’s the special occasion?” Andrew hadn’t seen much of them since he’d taken the leave of absence to get Nora settled in at home. He was glad to have the excuse to get out and see them.
Their grins were huge as Kelly spilled the news. “We’re having a baby!”
Jack pulled Kelly to him, wrapping his arms around her from the back, his hands settling on her still flat tummy. The look on his face said it all. Andrew didn’t think he’d ever seen his friend this happy. And that made him happy.
“Aw, Kels, that’s great!” Andrew pulled Kelly in for a bear hug and kissed her cheek. He grasped Jack’s hand in a shake that turned into one of those one-armed man hugs.
“Gonna be one lucky kid, guys,” Andrew said.
He meant it, despite the sting of loss he always felt when he thought about kids. Jack and Kelly were two of the best people he knew. He and Jack were at Yale together years ago and he knew Jack would make a great dad.
He might not have known Kelly long, but anyone who knew her for even a short time knew she was kind and generous. She was a special person.
“The baby’s due in June,” Kelly’s smile grew. “We’re not telling anyone other than family and you right now, though, because I’m still in my first trimester, so keep it quiet.”
“You got it,” Andrew grinned.
Jack handed Andrew a beer and the two men clinked their bottles in a silent toast.
Kelly’s excitement was contagious. Jack caught Andrew’s eye and gave him a silent look, asking him if he was okay with their news. Jack was one of a very select group of people who knew how painful news of babies and children could be to Andrew. Andrew gave him a slight nod and smiled. He didn’t want Jack worrying about his feelings at a time like this.
“By the way, one of my friends is meeting us here tonight,” Kelly said. There was a hint of mischief in her tone. “She’s gorgeous and super talented. She just moved to town a little while ago and wants to meet more people. I thought she might like meeting you.”
Her smile had matchmaker written all over it.
Jack mouthed ‘sorry’ to Andrew behind Kelly’s back but Andrew barely registered the words. His mind flashed to an image of Jill sipping hot cocoa in her grandmother’s kitchen. For some reason, he wasn’t really in the mood to meet another woman, no matter how perfect the woman may be.
Andrew briefly wondered what that was about before he excused himself to go to the bathroom. He needed to get away from there and clear his head before Kelly went any further with her plan.
Jack turned to Kelly as soon as Andrew was out of earshot. “Hon, you realize he’s pretty committed to bachelorhood, right?”
Kelly brushed off Jack’s warning. “Nonsense. That man wants to be married just as much as you did when I found you. He’s just as clueless about it, too.”
Jack let out a bark of laughter. It was true he hadn’t had a clue that he was looking for love and marriage when he and Kelly began their marriage. He’d been completely caught off guard when he fell head over heels in love, but he could honestly say he’d never been happier in his life.
But Andrew’s story was very different from Jack’s and Jack knew it would take a hell of a lot for Andrew to ever trust a woman again.
“No, sweetheart, he really doesn’t. Andrew has three categories of women in his world. Nora and Lydia are family. He trusts them and loves them. Then there are his friends. Andrew has lots of friends and many of them are female, but they’re just that: friends and nothing more. Ever. He lets them get to know him and he probably trusts them on some level, but he never dates them.
“His third category would be the women he has arrangements with. They’re women he sleeps with and nothing more. They’re not girlfriends. He doesn’t trust them. He doesn’t let them get to know him. He doesn’t build relationships with them. And he never, ever mixes any of those worlds. We don’t meet the women he sleeps with. If he needs a date for a work function, he brings a friend. Never a real date. I know that’s hard for you to understand, Kelly, but he needs it that way. It’s just the way he is, honey.”
Kelly’s face fell and she frowned at Jack. “That can’t be. Why would anyone live like that? Why wouldn’t he even introduce the women he’s with to you and Chad? You’re his best friends.”
“Chad and I are used to it. Andrew was hurt once and he didn’t get over what happened. Hell, it was bad. None of us expected him to be able to get over it, so we don’t take it personally that he’s like this. I know you want to change him, Kels, but you can’t. You gotta let him be who he is.”
Kelly shook her head. “But why? What happened to him?”
Jack knew Kelly’s heart was in the right place and he hated to have to disappoint her. He looked over his shoulder in the direction Andrew had gone. “I’ll tell you when we get home.”
