Eliza Starts a Rumor(47)
Over the main course they ran through all of the typical first-date banter regarding family and school and work and whatnot.
Jackie revealed, without any detail, that he was a widower and Alison confessed that her “sperm donor” wanted nothing to do with their child. They were both surprised by their own candor.
“Would you have been with Zach’s dad now, I mean, if he had stepped up? Maybe asked you to marry him?”
She again appreciated how direct he was. “I would like to say that I never thought about that, but I was brought up in the same fairy tale–saturated world as every other girl, so it definitely entered my mind.”
Alison couldn’t believe how open she was being. She hadn’t even admitted that to herself. She added, “It would have been a huge mistake. He doesn’t have any of the qualities I want in a partner. He’s not my ship, as they say. Know that one?”
Jackie smiled. “I do. I think you would say, ‘We’re not ship.’ But good try, I get what you were going for.”
Dessert came, and they lightened things up again, agreeing first on the best flavors of gelato, and then on more important things: Mets or Yankees. On the walk home, in an effort to assist Alison across a corner puddle, Jackie took her hand. Blocks later, as they approached her house, their fingers were still intertwined. To Jackie especially, it felt natural—very natural actually. It was the first time in years he had felt this type of connection. But that dawning realization was marred by his conscience. He should have told her who he was from the start. What was wrong with him? He’d never done anything like this before, and now he was stuck navigating a lie when all he really wanted to do was kiss her.
“I had a really nice time,” she said, as they got close. She stole a glance at him—her belly did a little somersault. When they got to her door, would he kiss her? Or maybe she’d kiss him?
“Me too.” He smiled. He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. He had two choices: Alison, can I tell you something? or Alison, can I kiss you? He hadn’t wanted to kiss someone this badly in ages, but he couldn’t kiss her without telling her.
All right, that’s it, he would tell her. There’s a chance she would understand, but if she slammed the door in his face, then he could go home and get back to his humdrum life as usual. As he struggled with his words he looked up to see a man sitting on her front stoop. He assumed it was a stranger. The house was on Main Street after all, and people sometimes stopped to take a break or wait for someone. Still, he became protective.
“Can we help you?” he asked loudly.
“Hello, Alison,” announced the non-stranger.
Alison quickly dropped Jackie’s hand. There would be no kissing or telling, Jackie thought, at least not for now.
CHAPTER 27
Alison
Alison could not believe her eyes when she saw Marc sitting on the front stoop of her house. He had now emailed, called, and texted her about getting together to talk. She knew he wasn’t one to be ignored, so she shouldn’t have been surprised that he had come to see her face-to-face when she hadn’t responded. Still, she couldn’t get over his timing. She had really enjoyed the night and was even toying with asking Jack in. She was furious that Marc had just shown up as he did, like a cold bucket of water dousing a smoldering fire. She said a polite goodbye to Jack, paid the sitter and sent her home before even letting him inside.
“What the hell, Marc? How did you even find me?”
“I called your office, said I wanted to send you a baby gift.”
Alison shook her head, noting that he was empty-handed.
“You were ignoring me. Did you think I would just give up?” She didn’t bother answering again as she knew it was a pointless question. Marc Sugarman never gave up. They had that in common. She wasn’t sure why she’d ignored him but thought it had something to do with not knowing what she wanted from him. She didn’t like being asked questions that she may not have the answers for, a by-product of being an attorney. Never go to court ill prepared. She had just needed a little more time to figure out what would be best for her son before having to consider what would be best for theirs. Of course, it was much more than semantics.
Marc walked over to the fireplace and looked at the couple of pictures of Zach that she had framed on the mantel. He picked one up and studied it. She wondered what it would be like to look at your son for the first time that way. Did he feel a tug at his heart? Did he see himself in him? She imagined he did because she definitely did. Zach had undeniably inherited Alison’s dark silky hair, but his eyes and skin were a clear combination. The shape of his face and the dimple on his left cheek were distinctly Marc’s.
“He’s a beautiful boy, that’s for sure.” He cleared his throat in a way that surprised her—as if he was choking up. She put up her guard. He had been such a dick about the whole pregnancy. One compassionate display during an unannounced visit was not going to change that.
“Yes, he is. And sweet, too. What are you doing here, Marc?”
“I just wanted to see my child. Do you have an issue with that?”
“Yes. Of course I have an issue with that. You haven’t been here. You wanted nothing to do with me, with us really. And you come up here and act like I’m in the wrong because I was waiting to respond to you for a minute.”