Chapter Thirteen
“Don’t push your brother, Natalie,” Daisy said the next afternoon as the door of the plane opened and the kids rushed forward, each trying to be the first off. Glenda followed them, relief etched into her face at having reached the ground safely.
She looked over at Jack who was clipping Ollie’s leash on, his forehead furrowed as he focused on his task, and smiled. She had to admit that despite her usually cautious and realistic nature, after the past couple of days, she was feeling more optimistic and hopeful than she’d felt in a long time.
As if sensing her attention, Jack looked up from his task, meeting her gaze. The grin he gave her told her he was remembering a few things as well, and her heart raced once again.
“Mom?” Jenna called out from outside the plane. Daisy grabbed her purse and a few last things the kids left behind and went out to join them.
Immediately, her jaw slackened.
Jack stood behind her, as Ollie pushed against the back of her knees, impatient to join the kids.
“What is all this?” she asked as she blinked at a few camera flashes from the dozens of people who were waiting outside. “How did they even know we’d be arriving?”
“I don’t know, although I have a strong hunch Stuart had something to do with it. Don’t worry.” He nodded toward a couple of black Suburbans waiting for them on the tarmac. “Let’s just smile, give them their photos, and we’ll be on our way.”
She nodded and pinned as natural a smile as she could under the circumstance, careful as they made their way down. The younger kids had no similar reservations, waving, giggling, and hamming it up while Jenna and Lily were more bashful with their smiles. Nonplussed by the spotlight, Glenda shooed the kids along, leaving her and Jack—who smiled easily at the cameras—to follow with Ollie.
By the time they’d reached the cars, her aunt was already climbing in after the kids. “You two take the other,” she said over her shoulder. “Enjoy a little time to yourselves.”
Once they were in the tinted protection of the car, she slunk back on the seat, grateful to have some time to breathe.
“You were great,” Jack said, taking her hand in his.
“You mean because I didn’t trip and fall all over myself? Thanks, but I wish I’d had time to at least change.” She looked down at her white capris stained with Paul’s spilled OJ.
“You look stunning,” he said as their newest security detail climbed into the passenger seat, a signal to their driver to pull out.
“Does he know my address?” she whispered.
“I have a feeling they know exactly where we’re going and have the route already planned. Now relax.”
Daisy glanced out the windows. It felt good to be back home, the familiar peaks of the Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain ranges surrounded them. “I guess I should be relieved that Stuart didn’t decide to join us.”
“There definitely is that,” he said, chuckling. “And he probably would have if I hadn’t insisted he meet me at my house later to prep for the interview.”
“What time is the interview?”
He looked at his watch. “I still have a couple of hours. Long enough to get you and the kids settled in. We’re still on for dinner later, right? Because I’ve already made reservations at the perfect spot. Just the two of us.”
“I thought we were having a family dinner with the kids?”
“Soon. But tonight, I wanted it to just be us. It’s already all arranged. Aggie will stay with Lily, and Glenda with your kids—she actually insisted upon it. Said it was high time I took you on a proper first date.”
A date? She almost laughed She’d spent two nights with this man and they were talking about a first date? “I think that sounds…good.”
Good Lord. How long had it been since she’d gone on an official date? She supposed the ball could be considered a date. But at the time, it had felt more like business, keeping up appearances.
But this?
This was going to just be her and Jack.
And it sounded divine.
…
Jack was just pulling his tie through the loop when Lily walked into the room and flopped herself onto the bed. He turned around. “What do you think about this tie? Does it work?”
She barely glanced at it. “It’s fine. So you’re going out on a date with Daisy, huh?” She picked at some invisible lint on the duvet cover.
“I am. And I have to say, I’m pretty excited.” He studied his daughter, noticing for the first time she didn’t appear to be as pleased.
Hell. Was he being a terrible parent? He hadn’t really talked to her about this. Not since it became…real. It wasn’t like this was his first date, but it was the first date with a woman he really liked and cared about, who also knew Lily well.
He went to the bed and sat next to her. “Hey. I know this past week, our vacation, it wasn’t what either of us expected. And despite that, you were a champ, going with the flow and getting along with the other kids. I’m sorry if I haven’t told you that. You made me proud.”
She was quiet. “So, do you really like her then? I mean, I saw how you two looked at each other. It reminded me of you and Mom.” She choked up as she said mom. “You still love her. Mom, I mean. Right? You’re not going to forget her?”
He placed his hand on her back, staring down into her eyes. “Honey. I love your mom with all my heart. I will never stop loving her. Ever. And whatever happens with Daisy, I’ll still have room in my heart for you and your mom. Do you not like her?”
She shrugged. “I like her. She’s actually really nice. I just…” This time a big tear slipped down her cheek, and his heart squeezed. “I feel bad because this past week, it was fun and I liked us all being together. But then later I think about Mom and I feel guilty. Like I shouldn’t be having this much fun and shouldn’t be okay with seeing you two kiss and hold hands. I…I don’t want to forget her and sometimes I have a hard time remembering things about her.”
He leaned down, kissing the top of her head. “You’re never going to lose your mom, kiddo. She’s always going to be with you and if you can’t remember something about her, just ask me. Because I’ll never forget. I promise. You know, when your mom was sick, she told me something. Something that at the time I didn’t want to hear.”
It actually struck him that, up until this moment, he hadn’t thought about that conversation. Lily tilted her head up to meet his gaze. “What?”
“She told me—no, ordered me—to get back out there and find someone to love. She said that more than anything it hurt her heart to think of you and me all alone, and she’d only find peace if she knew we had someone who loved us as much as we could love. I told her she was crazy because no one was going to put up with me like she had. Nor could I love anyone as much as I loved her. But it’s funny. After all these years, I feel like she’s been there with us, helping us, a calming presence, but always waiting for us to find someone who would be good enough for her family.”
Lily raised her blue eyes, so like his own, to him. “Do you think she’d like Daisy?”
An opinionated woman who didn’t fall at his feet and tell him what he wanted, and who stubbornly held her place? He smiled. “Yeah. I think she would. Now, sit up and give me a hug—if you’re not too old for stuff like that.”
She sat up, and he reached forward and hugged her, holding her a long minute.
His phone ringing an all too familiar tone finally interrupted them. “You’re sure you’re going to be okay here without me tonight?”
She nodded. “Aggie already promised to make cheese and shells for dinner on the condition I tell her all the details of the trip.”
He was curious as to exactly what those details were, but with the phone still ringing, he didn’t have time to ask. “Just don’t stay up too late,” he said and strode over to the dresser where he’d set the phone down.
Lily was through the door by the time he finally had the phone to his ear. “Hey, Dad.”
“Glad you enjoyed your vacation, son.” Although his dad was scheduled to be in Houston on party business through the end of the month, from the teasing tone in his voice, he seemed to have caught wind of recent events. Stuart, most likely. “So…when do I get to meet the mother of my future grandchildren?”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Jack said, and with the phone cradled in the crook of his neck, he adjusted his tie in the mirror above the dresser. “But…soon.”
…
Daisy was putting the final touches to her makeup when she heard the doorbell ring immediately followed by the rush of footsteps as the kids raced to answer it.
She took a calming breath even as her chest trembled a little in excitement at seeing Jack again.
Only, as she reached the top of the stairs, the deep male voice was not the one she’d expected.
Leo.
What the heck is he doing here?
“…And we got to go sailing and fishing and I caught the biggest one I’ve ever seen—”
“I caught two,” Natalie interrupted.
“You should have seen us, Dad!” Paul continued.
The usual frustration and annoyance that hit her whenever she was around her ex took hold as she made her way down the stairs.
“Leo,” she said, stepping into the front room where he was seated on the couch with the kids surrounding him. Aunt Glenda was in a chair, pretending he wasn’t there. “What are you doing here?”
“What? I can’t come and see how my kids are doing? I mean, especially after arriving back in town this morning and being bombarded with their faces across the front page. Looks like you’ve all been very busy.”
Was there really a tone in his voice? “Yes. We have. Actually, we also have plans tonight, so if there wasn’t anything that you needed, then maybe we can talk about this later?”
“Why don’t you walk me out?” he asked. It was clear from the way he said it he had something he wanted to talk to her about, but not in front of the kids.
“Fine. Tell your dad good night, kids.”
“Ah. But he said he had presents for us.”
“I most certainly do, but unfortunately, they’re not with me. You’ll have to come and get them when you visit this weekend.”
“This weekend?” Daisy asked, her voice abnormally high. “You’re not scheduled to have them this weekend.”
“Yeah, but since you’ve had them all this time, I thought it was only fair.” He made it sound like she’d kidnapped them and shortchanged him. Not because he’d bailed on his kids.
But…he was their dad. And from the looks on their faces, they were happy to see him. “I suppose we can work things out, but I’ll need them back for family dinner on Sunday.”
“Sure. No problem.”
He rose from the couch, and she followed him to the front door, where they stepped out, away from the prying ears of the kids.
“So how was your trip to London? Did you and Melissa have the alone time you were hoping for?”
“Our trip was just fine. I’m more interested in talking about what the hell is going on with you.” His long bangs that she’d once thought were nerdy-sexy brushed across his eyelids and he whipped them back impatiently. “Why am I seeing you partying and frolicking in the sand with this guy, this Harrison? I mean, for crying out loud, the guy’s a Republican. What on earth can you be thinking?”
“I’m thinking that it’s none of your damned business. I don’t give you grief about who you’re dating—and believe me, I have a lot worse things to dredge up than their political affiliation. I mean, Bambi, was it? The last girl who was barely eligible to vote in the last election?”
“Brandy,” he corrected impatiently.
“I’m just as entitled as you are to see who I want and not have my judgment called into question—no matter how badly I may have wanted to question yours these past couple of years.”
“What does this guy even want? It’s like he’s using you as some sort of prop in his photo ops. Not to mention he looks like some poster boy for a J.Crew ad.” Something that, in Leo’s estimation, would indeed be the ultimate insult.
“You didn’t like the sunglasses?” came a smooth, deep voice from the sidewalk.
Daisy hadn’t even heard his arrival, but she felt enormous relief when Jack climbed the front steps looking like her own Prince Charming. Sexy, panty-melting Prince Charming.
He came to stand next to Leo, and it was hard not to notice the good couple of inches Jack had over the man. Leo seemed to notice as well, if the way he puffed out his chest was any indication.
But it was more than their height that set them apart. There was just something in Jack’s stature, an easy confidence versus one based on insecurity, that made him more relaxed and casual but…also in control. Definitely in control.
Jack held out his hand, “Jack Harrison. You must be Leo?”
Leo appeared like he didn’t want to take the hand initially, but he finally accepted the grip and nodded.
“Were you two finished, or should I give you another moment?” Jack asked, his gaze still on her.
“I think we were through, weren’t we, Leo?”
Leo smiled, even as his eyes looked like he wanted to say more. “We were. I’ll see you Friday when I get the kids.”
She didn’t say anything more, just watched Leo turn around and pause when he saw the black Suburban parked with a tall, burly-looking guy—part of tonight’s security entourage, she’d guess—standing at the passenger door watching them.
“That was Leo? Interesting guy,” Jack said as the person in question climbed into his car and backed down the driveway. “What did he want, other than to harass you?”
“He was just being Leo,” she said. But she wasn’t going to let Leo’s insecurities take any more of her time tonight.
Jack seemed to get the hint. “Then let’s start tonight over again.” He stood back to take her in, and she felt that giddy feeling as a certain light entered his eyes. “You look utterly delectable.”
“Thank you. You clean up nicely yourself.” Understatement, of course. In dark jeans and a blue lapis shirt that was close to the color of his eyes, he was heart-stopping.
There was that devilish grin again, as he seemed to be telling her…he was all hers.
All. Night.
…
Jack was sitting in a meeting with his staff late Friday afternoon, trying to keep his attention on the subject at hand—and not on remembering last night, and the amazing time he and Daisy had.
If there had been any basis to Daisy’s concern that their attraction had merely been an illusion brought on by the perfect few days on Tahoe, then last night, eating dinner in a local restaurant followed by a stroll through Memory Grove Park, hand in hand, had easily dispelled that notion.
If anything, being here, in the place they both called home, made everything feel more real. More possible.
And it affirmed for him the strong, overwhelming need he had to protect and take care of her. Make sure she had everything that would ensure she wasn’t going anywhere.
Which was why he had set in motion a few little gifts that he hoped would please her.
“Jack? Did you hear me?” It was Stuart, looking up from a report in his hands.
“Sorry. What was that again?”
Stuart sighed and gave him a droll look that told him he knew exactly where Jack’s thoughts had been. “The initial feedback we’re getting from Washington is that Governor Pratchett’s expected to get a favorable recommendation. You could be sworn in by the end of the month.”
Jack took a moment to let that sink in.
Governor. In less than a month.
He couldn’t hide his grin, which seemed to be the signal everyone was waiting for as they gave small resounding cheers. Ever loyal, his staff was exceptionally proud and excited for the coming months wherein they transitioned from the lieutenant governor’s staff to that of the governor’s.
“Yes, we will all be able to celebrate that in a few short weeks,” Stuart said, trying to regain order, “but the honeymoon period will be brief before we move into full-out campaign mode, which I promise you all will be grueling. Speaking of honeymoons…” he said, sitting back to study Jack with a strange gleam in his eyes. “It seems that since your interview aired last night, public opinion has shot back up. Not only does everyone want to know more about you, they want to know more about Daisy, about the kids, and…the wedding.”
Jack glanced around at the eager faces of his staff. No one but Jack and Stuart knew about the fake engagement, which was fine by him since as far as he was concerned, nothing was fake about how he felt about Daisy or his intentions for their future.
But this was hardly the place to discuss it or the fact that he and Daisy really only knew each other for…one week—which made discussion of their actual wedding a bit premature.
“Why don’t we just enjoy the next few weeks and the glow of positive public opinion, shall we, Stuart? No need to put everything on fast-forward. Daisy and I—and our families—need to adjust to being out in the spotlight without any added pressure.”
“And do you think after you’re sworn in, and we’re racing to come in first in the party primaries that are merely nine months away, you’ll have any more time or energy to plan a wedding? There’s no slowing down on this train, Jack. You’ve got to get everything lined up, nailed down, now.”
Jack couldn’t help but feel a twinge of anxiety at the words. Things weren’t going to slow down for a long time and in that space of time, anything could happen. Daisy could say it was too hard, too risky and decide to walk away, something that he didn’t know how he could recover.
There would certainly be advantages to a short engagement, even if Stuart needed to work on his spiel. “That’s positively romantic, Stuart. I’ll be sure to put it exactly that way when I speak to my fiancée later today. I’m sure she’ll appreciate being something to ‘nail down.’”
“Just pointing out the realities.”
Jack sat back, stretching his arms above his head. “Thank you for that. Now, we’ve been going at this for over an hour. I think we could probably use a break.”
Stuart nodded, but from the look in his eye, Jack knew the topic would surface the moment the two of them were alone.
As everyone streamed out of his office, his assistant came in, smiling slyly at him. “Your fiancée has been trying to reach you for the past half hour. I let her know that the minute your meeting was over you’d call her.”
“Thanks, Mona,” he said, already grabbing the phone and dialing. “You wouldn’t mind shutting that…”
He didn’t finish as she was already shutting the door.
A glance at his watch told him that his big surprise should already have arrived, and it was likely the reason she was calling him.
Only the excitement and joy he’d expected to hear on the other end when she answered weren’t forthcoming. Instead, the voice that came across the line was calm. Too calm.
“What on earth have you done?”