AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Let me answer.”
Jackson put his hands on the table and regarded me. Not pushing back. But waiting.
I stumbled over my words in my haste to get them out. “We can have coffee with her before we buy food. Get this over and done with.”
He’d answered my call and handled my problem with my student’s mother.
I wanted to repay the favour.
“We have the time,” I continued my argument. “I’ll pretend to be your girlfriend and act the controlling bitch if that helps. Or I can butter her up. I’ll be whatever you want me to be.”
I expected an outright refusal. Jackson hadn’t swayed on this at all. To my entire surprise, he slowly nodded.
“A neutral venue works,” he said. “I could never go to her house and hate the idea of her coming here. She knows where I work. Do it.”
I snatched up the phone. “Are you sure?”
He dipped his head.
My breath caught, but I swiped to answer the call before it rang out. “Jackson’s phone. How can I help?”
There was a pause. “Who’s this?”
“I’m Jackson’s girlfriend.”
He swore under his breath and turned away, pacing back to the sink.
“Well, I’m his mother. Put him on the line.”
“It’s so nice to talk to you, Mrs Reid. I’m afraid he’s not available right now. I’d be happy to take a message.”
She spluttered, clearly annoyed. “Ye can tell him to be home for seven this evening.”
Facing away from me, Jackson tightened his grip on the counter, his knuckles standing proud.
“This evening? That won’t be possible. We have other plans. But if you desperately need to see him, we’ll be in Inverness in an hour or so. We could meet for coffee? I’d love to say hi.”
“He’s my son. What other plans can he have that come above mine? Ye tell him—”
“I’m sorry,” I cut in. “Maybe I wasn’t clear. We won’t make it this evening. It’s on our terms or not at all.”
His mother went quiet again. She had a gentle voice, entirely at odds with her words, and not dissimilar to her son’s measured tone. But that was where the comparison ended. For all his reserved nature, Jackson had no artifice.
A sound came like she’d muted us and was finishing a separate conversation. “Coffee will have to do, but ye can tell him from me that I’m disappointed.”
“Give us an hour, and I’ll text you the address.”
I hung up, breathing out.
Jackson hung his head, his dark hair falling forward. Abruptly, he turned and came back to me. Stooped to kiss my lips.
“Thank ye.”
I could have replied and said something about taking the bull by the horns, but instead I kissed him back. Knelt on the chair. Lost myself in his lips.
It couldn’t last. We had to go, and this wasn’t going to be easy.
I’d make sure for his sake that coming home would make up for the pain.
