Lucky Stars (Ghosts and Reincarnation #5)(114)
“More like twelve,” Lila muttered under her breath then called after the departing pair, “See you at breakfast!”
They heard Rachel’s giggle and Jensen’s laugh as Joy rushed back in.
“What’d I miss?” Jack’s mother asked excitedly.
“Well, we’re not having a party and, apparently, Jensen and Rachel are off for a twelve hour sex-a-thon,” Yasmin answered. “Other than that, you didn’t miss much.”
“Ah,” Joy sat in the corner of the couch Jensen and Rachel just vacated and went on dreamily, “Young love.”
“Joy, they’re both fifty-five years old,” Lila told her.
Joy looked at Belle, winked and amended, “Ah, young-at-heart love.”
Belle smiled at his mother and Jack realised as his chest squeezed in a mixture of pain and pleasure, he hadn’t seen her smile at all since the accident but today, with her father’s unexpected appearance, she’d smiled several times
It was then Jack thought that perhaps he should have let Jensen have his party.
Suddenly Angus stood up and demanded, “Bennett, a word.”
Belle went tight at his side and Jack tipped his head back to look at the Scot.
“Is it necessary you have your word now?” Jack asked calmly.
“It was necessary I have it three weeks ago. But now’s going to have to do,” Angus shot back.
Belle’s tight body got tighter and Jack felt his jaw follow suit.
“Is something wrong?” Belle asked.
Angus’s face softened when he looked down at Belle. “Nothing’s wrong, lass.”
“But –”
“Just want a word with your man,” Angus went on.
Jack felt her body get as tight as it was that morning when it felt like it would shatter at the slightest movement before she asked, “Is it about the third ghost?”
“Let’s not worry about ghosts for now, shall we?” Joy said hurriedly and Jack’s gaze cut to his mother.
She knew something, something that concerned her greatly, a reaction she was trying to hide.
Jack instantly made his decision.
He gave Belle a squeeze and a kiss on the side of her head before he said, “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Belle’s eyes never left him as he stood, her expression was anxious and her cheeks had lost the healthy glow her father’s visit had returned there and were again pale.
He leaned over her, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger and he pressed a kiss against her lips then whispered, “I’ll only be a minute, poppet.”
“Okay,” she whispered back.
His eyes sliced to Angus then he led the way to his study.
He closed the door and saw Angus standing, legs planted wide, arms crossed on his barrel chest when Jack turned to the room.
“You got whisky?” Angus asked.
“It’s ten thirty,” Jack replied. “Can you wait until an appropriate hour to have a drink?”
“It’s not for me, lad, it’s for you.”
Jack did not think that boded well.
“Speak fast, McPherson, I need to get back to Belle.”
“What you need to do, Bennett, is to quit molly-coddling her. She’ll find her way.”
Jack’s patience, not exactly in a healthy state, instantly frayed at this man he did not know in the slightest having the gall to tell him what to do.
Therefore his voice was low and obviously angry when he replied, “I met you fifteen minutes ago and you barely know Belle. Don’t think –”
Angus cut him off by saying, “My wife was with child when she was knocked over by a car.”
Jack felt as if he’d been punched in the gut, hard, thus he made no reply.
Angus continued, “My wife survived. My child did no’.”
Jack clenched his teeth and he still made no reply.
Angus went on, “I molly-coddled her, like you’re doing. I did it for months. I lost her those months and I feared she’d no’ come back to me. I eventually had to take a job and when I did, she had to be responsible for herself. When I got back, she was better. I took the hint and tried to be normal.” Angus strode forward, stopped two feet away and put his big hand on Jack’s shoulder. “The grieving process is the same for everyone, lad. You’re doing Belle no favours by no’ helping her move to the next stage. The time has come and gone for molly-coddling. It’s time now for normal.”
For some reason, Jack found himself sharing, “We’re moving back to The Point today.”
Angus smiled a crooked, highly demented smile that made Jack question his sanity even after Angus just displayed he had a grip on it. “That’s good news, lad. Good news.”
Jack was finished and therefore asked, “Are we done?”
Angus dropped his hand. “’Fraid no’.”
“Finish it,” Jack demanded.
Angus took a step back and asked, “You sure you don’t want that whisky?” When he caught Jack’s hard look he hurried on, “Cass and I been working while all this was going on.”
Jack stared at the man before informing him, “You should know I’ve never seen Myrtle and Lewis and I don’t believe they exist. I’m humouring Belle, my mother and Belle’s family. I have little interest in this.”