CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Scott
I waited in the sitting room for Jackie to dress. I tried not to pace or otherwise seem anxious. Her friend was still in the kitchen, and she gave me an odd look. She was clearly trying to figure out who I was and why I was here.
“Thanks for letting me in,” I said shyly.
“It was nothing,” she said, concentrating on whatever was in the cooking pot. “As long as you’re okay now?” she asked, jerking a head in the direction of the room.
“Yeah,” I said shakily. “I think so.”
“Well, good. Jackie is a good friend of mine. And if anyone hurts her, I swear I’ll…” she trailed off. I looked across at the bedroom door.
“Scott?”
I stared. Jackie was there. A Jackie who looked even more lovely than I had ever seen her. She was wearing a gown the color of pale pewter, knee length and elegant. Her ash-toned hair was fluffy and washed and styled to one side. She looked exquisite.
“Jackie.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I stared and stared. She smiled.
“You like it?” she asked shyly. I laughed.
“Hell, Jackie!” My voice was ragged. I cleared my throat. I couldn’t stop staring. My body was screaming at me, wanting me to kiss her, to undress her, to carry her into the room next door. But my eyes just wanted to look at her. “You look beautiful.”
She giggled shyly, made a little turn. She wore heels—the first time I’d seen her in heels, now I thought of it—and they looked incredible on her. She wasn’t short, but with the inch or two extra she came to my nose. I tore my eyes away.
“It is okay, isn’t it?” I asked her friend, who was looking at both of us with a smile on her face so tender it took my breath away. “I mean, if you stay here for a few hours while we go out? We’d like to invite you to lunch on Saturday, to say thank you.”
“It’s okay with me,” she said, still staring at us. She smiled. “When do you plan to be back?”
“At nine thirty?” I asked. It was seven o’ clock now. I didn’t want to shorten our time together, but I felt bad imposing on a lady I’d just met.
“You can manage longer than that,” she said with a chuckle. “I’m fine here until eleven.”
“We couldn’t possibly…” I demurred.
“Thanks, Barbs,” Jackie said, going over to embrace her. I stood back, breathing in perfume, spellbound by her walk. “But we won’t be longer than ten. And…thank you. For everything.”
“It’s really nothing,” her friend said stiffly. I thought she might cry and I looked away, focusing on Stella, who was asleep in her crib. While the two discussed plans for the day, I went to look at my sleeping child.
“Okay,” Jackie said at length. Her voice sounded tight, as if she was going to cry. My own throat tightened to hear it. “We’re off?”
“Yes,” I muttered, my voice thick with feeling. “We’re off.”
We headed downstairs to my car. Jackie had shrugged on a light blazer with the dress. It was a sort of natural cream color, and it looked amazing too. I stared at her.
“You are so beautiful.” I couldn’t actually believe how lovely she looked or how much I wanted her at that moment.
“Not really,” she said with a crooked smile. “I think you, Mr. Fancy, are biased.” She kissed me.
“Not at all,” I said. “Not at all.”
She was beautiful. Natural, soft and lovely. She was so much lovelier than any alterations, studio makeup or esthetician could make anyone, ever. I watched her, mesmerized. I loved her.
We arrived at the Halston at seven thirty. I nodded to the doorman, who recognized me. He led us in and up to the elevator. We would go to the rooftop.
“This place is scary,” Jackie said. I laughed.
We got out of the elevator and walked to the tables. The waiter—Sam, my usual waiter—approached us. “Table for two?”
“Yes. Thanks, Sam.”
She raised a brow and I felt proud. I drew out her seat and she settled herself into it, then I sat opposite her.
“Jackie,” I said softly. “Thank you for coming out with me.”
She smiled. The smile lit her face and made it even more beautiful, if that was possible. “You silly man. Of course I did.”
I flushed. “No of course about it. I don’t deserve you.”
“Probably not,” she said with a flippant grin. “But then, who deserves anyone? I don’t deserve you either.”
“That’s not true.”
At some point, her foot had moved so that it rested between mine. I gasped and my eyes widened. My own foot drifted sideways, stroking hers. I felt for her knee under the table and found it, gave it a soft squeeze. She giggled, breathlessly.
I looked up to see our waiter approaching. I sat up straight and sucked the smile off my face. She giggled.
“To drink, sir?”
“Water for me, please. And for the lady?” I smiled at Jackie.
“I’ll have what you’re having.”
We laughed. I was sure anyone watching would think we were completely mad. I didn’t care. That’s what it’s like when you love someone, I thought with wonder. You’re in your own world.
While Sam brought the water, we looked at the menu. I chose their lobster and recommended it to her. Her brow shot up.
“Hell, Scott. Do you want me to make you bankrupt?” she asked. Then she laughed. “I guess that’s not so easy, huh?”
I blushed. “I hope it’s not so easy,” I said with a smile. “I plan to have plenty for us to enjoy.”
She shot a look at me. I wondered if I’d given the plan away. I looked around innocently. “We should have plenty to enjoy here, yes?”
“I guess,” she said, with a frown. She wasn’t easy to sidetrack. I would have to remember that.
Our order was placed and, while we waited for it, we talked. She told me all about her news—there were ten months to catch up on, after all—and I told her some of mine. Mostly, I just asked her things. Her life was more interesting than mine was, after all. And I wanted to know everything about the birth. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t been there for her when she needed me.
The lobster arrived and I saw her eyes get bigger. I smiled. I would love sharing things with Jackie, I knew—from dinners to vacations to my cars—she would find so much pleasure in them.
“Not bad, eh?” I asked.
She nodded. She looked awed. “Not bad.”
We both laughed. The dinner was as amazing as I knew it would be. We sat and ate and chatted, but the weird thing was that I didn’t feel a need to constantly fill in blanks. I was happy to share silence. It was a new feeling for me, that place of shared contentment and feeling, beyond words.
When we’d finished the main course, I suggested we order dessert. She nodded vigorously.
“If it’s anything like that, heck! We have to try it.”
I laughed. Her enthusiasm and love for life made me happy just seeing them. I waved down Sam while she made up her mind.
“Three ways of chocolate mousse,” she said quickly. I grinned. It sounded good.
“Make it two,” I said.
I watched her sample the dessert, my body igniting instantly when she licked the spoon. She was so sexy. So beautiful. I loved her and I wanted her. I loved her so much it hurt.
Once dessert was over, I managed to find my nerve. And the box in my pocket that had been hiding there since I came out.
“Jackie,” I said. Why was this so hard? I sighed and breathed in deeply. Tried again. “Jackie?” Oh, hell. My voice was trembling and my eyes were wet and I couldn’t talk without crying. “I love you, sweetheart,” I blurted. “Will you marry me?”
She stared at me. I watched her. Saw the light turn on in her eyes and build and grow, as if hope was rising there, and wonder, a slow sunshine creeping through the pewter gray of them.
I stood. Walked to her chair. Knelt beside it. Took out the ring I’d had commissioned earlier that week. Thank Heaven they’d put casting it at the top of their list. It was ready.
“Jackie Jefferson. Will you marry me?”
She swallowed. Stared at me. Tears coursed down her cheeks. She tried to speak but no words came out. She closed her eyes and had another go.
“Yes. Yes, I will.”
I felt as if the sun had come out inside of me. I was filled with warmth.
She was laughing, now, and crying, and so was I. I stood and she stood. Someone had been downstairs and called a photographer, it seemed. The flash caught us as we kissed.
I didn’t really notice. I held Jackie and breathed in the scent of her and pressed her to me. She was crying and I smudged away the tears with my hand.
“I love you,” I whispered as I kissed her again.
I held her and I wept as well, with happiness: the woman of my dreams was in my arms and we were going to be married and I could be the father I’d longed to be for my own daughter—our daughter. I would never have thought it was possible to feel so happy.