Lucky Stars (Ghosts and Reincarnation #5)(174)

“She found a good man.”

“She found her strength and it did indeed come from love but not simply mine. You’re smart enough to surround yourself with people who care about you, genuinely and healthily, you’ll do the same.”

He looked down at her to see his eyes on his face.

Then she whispered, “I’ll try.”

“Good,” Jack whispered back.

She pulled her lips between her teeth but still, even with that, the ends curled up in a small smile before she quickly looked away and Jack watched her run to the taxi, throw open the door and fold inside.

Then he watched the taxi drive away.

And after it was gone he realised he didn’t ask her name.

He turned and walked up the steps as he looked up them noting that Lila was standing at the top, arms crossed on her chest, head turned, eyes aimed at the now empty lane.

When he arrived at the top, he stopped close to her and her head tipped back so she could catch his gaze.

“You’re a kind man, Jack Bennett,” she said quietly.

“She’s been living enough of a nightmare. I saw no need to add to it,” Jack replied.

“As I said,” Lila began, “you’re a kind man, Jack Bennett.”

“My thanks, Lila,” he muttered, feeling his lips twitch and he threw out an arm to the door for her to precede him.

She didn’t move.

Instead, she informed him, “I came out to watch, of course, but I also came out to tell you that beyond those doors lies drama.”

Slowly, Jack closed his eyes.

He opened them and asked a question he didn’t want to ask, “And that would be?”

“Yasmin,” she answered.

“Again, that would be?”

Lila grinned. “Yasmin of the, she’s come to the realisation after the events of last night that Quincy is the love of her life and she doesn’t want to let him go so the first thing she did this morning was inform him of this fact to which he told her to go jump in a lake variety of drama.”

“Fucking hell,” Jack muttered, his eyes moving to the door.

“It’s full blown and she has Cassandra, Joy and Rachel in attendance in the morning room so, advice, avoid that room,” Lila told him.

“So noted,” Jack replied.

“Personally,” she went on in a conversational way that made Jack look at her, “I’m considering finding Miles and sending him in to comfort her. I’ve heard he’s at the stables. That’s my next stop. What do you think of that idea?”

“I think that if Quincy Delacourt is too stupid not to forgive a good woman who did something misguided and emotional because of demons she’s grappling with that he should help her to fight and not leave her on her own to fight them, then he deserves to lose that good woman,” Jack answered then finished, “And that, Lila, is what I think.”

“I’m in complete agreement,” Lila stated through a smile, her eyes dancing.

“Do you think I can go and find my fiancée now?” Jack asked politely.

It was Lila who threw her hand out toward the door this time and offered, “Have at it.”

“Thank you,” Jack muttered and headed to the door.

“See you at lunch,” she returned and headed down the steps.

Jack didn’t bother to tell her she wouldn’t. It was Sunday. He was on his way to find Belle, gather his dogs, load them all into his car and head to her cottage in St. Ives. This was after he found Olive and told her to clear his schedule for the next week. Her head might explode but after it did, she’d pull herself together and do it.

He was two feet from the door and deciding to ask Olive to clear two weeks when it was pulled open and Angus raced out, eyes wild, kilt swaying madly around his knees.

“Ghosts in Leeds!” he boomed. “Nasty beasties! Must dash!”

Then he darted down the steps to his beat up white van in the drive.

Jack watched over his shoulder as Angus’s white van coughed to life, reversed on a trail of exhaust smoke that gave testimony to the fact that Angus didn’t waste precious ghost hunting time by bothering with MOTs and finally he watched the van speed down the lane.

He did this noting that Angus McPherson never said good-bye. And he did this thinking this was likely because Angus McPherson might leave but he was never gone for long enough to make the unpleasantness of a farewell worth it.

Jack strode through the door Angus left open, closed it behind him and had taken four steps into the hall before Jensen prowled in, spied him and instantly started in.

“Dude! The party last night, a bust. And if you think I’m puttin’ on another monkey suit, think again. Not… gonna… happen. Once in my life was enough and I did that when I married Belle’s Momma. Against my will, I did it again last night and, seriously, Jack, I relive another last night, I wanna be wearin’ my ol’ standbys. Jeans and a tee.” He came to a stop at Jack and announced, “So, tonight, engagement party take two. And I’m takin’ care of the whole thing. And there won’t be a bowtie or a high heel anywhere near this f**kin’ place for my shindig.”

“Belle and I are leaving in approximately half an hour and we won’t return for two weeks,” Jack replied and Jensen swayed back, his eyes getting big.