Not Quite Dating(48)

He laughed. “It’s not a joke, Ms. Mann. Be thinking about what kind of car you’d like to drive. Four doors, two doors, truck, crossover, or maybe you’d like a hybrid? Your choice.”
She thought for a moment about Christmas, Danny, the medical bills that would be coming in. “Can I take the money and pick out a used car?”
“Sorry. I was given specific instructions to offer you any new car we had on the lot.”
“Instructions?” The parrot was back.
He hesitated, coughed, and then said, “From my boss.”
“Oh, OK. That sounded ungrateful of me. I’m very grateful. Really.” She was. It wasn’t the new bike Danny wanted, but a new car might make up for it a little. The money she’d save on repairs would help her afford more for her son in the long run. “I’ll see you at nine.”
They hung up just as the door to the apartment opened.
Monica stepped inside, still bundled in a parka.
The sight of her sister reminded Jessie of Jack.
Monica’s eyes caught hers. She opened her mouth to say something, and then her smile fell. “What happened?”
Tears popped up out of nowhere. “I slept with Jack. He asked me to marry him. I said no. He left and hasn’t called. I think I may have made a huge mistake.”
Monica dropped her bags at the door and walked to Jessie’s side. “Oh, Jessie.”
Her sister’s arms around her brought on a new flood of tears.



Chapter Thirteen


Monica pushed Jessie onto the sofa and let her sob.
“It’s OK,” Monica cooed. “I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
No! It was worse.
As her tears started to dry up, the words started tumbling from her mouth. “Danny spiked a fever night before last. I called Jack.” Just saying his name brought a physical pain to her chest.
Monica reached over, grabbed a tissue from a box, and handed it to her.
“Thanks.”
“Jack gave you a ride to the doctor?”
Jessie nodded. “Yeah. Danny’s fever was so high. I got scared.”
Monica glanced toward the hall. “Is he OK?”
“The doctor prescribed an antibiotic. He’s sleeping now.”
Jessie grasped a pillow from the sofa and hugged it as she talked. “Jack insisted on staying the night. In case we needed to go back to the hospital.”
“Sounds reasonable. How did the sleeping together fall into place?”
She squeezed her eyes shut. “I caved. I couldn’t hold off anymore…ya know?”
Mo smiled and lifted her eyebrows. “I would have given in sooner than you. You guys have been sniffing around this attraction since you met.”
Jessie’s eyes filled with a new pool of tears. “It was w-wonderful. P-perfect,” she stuttered. “Everything I ever wanted.” The tears wouldn’t stop. Monica handed her fresh tissues and waited for the sobs to calm again.
“Then what happened?”
“Everything was…”
“Perfect, yeah, I get that,” Monica said. “When did he ask you to marry him?”
“Out of the blue. The next morning. He helped Danny with breakfast, kissed me, then wham. He asked me to marry him.” Even now, the memory shocked her.
“I take it you weren’t happy.”
“I was shocked. I mean, we’d only just slept together. Who goes from sleeping together to marriage overnight?”
“Jack does…apparently.”
“But he knows more than anyone that I wouldn’t jump on board the marital train like that. I got scared, Mo.”
Monica curled her knee up on the couch. “You told him no?”
“I told him he’d regret marrying me.”
“Regret?”
“Yeah, sooner or later he’d realize that marrying a woman with a child would be a burden and he’d hate the fact that we’d hold him back. He has so many ambitions, Mo. Even more than I do.” As she said the words again, she felt some of her pride returning.
“So your saying no has less to do with his lack of money and more to do with what you want for him.” Monica gave her a half smile.
“Of course. He might think he’d be happy married to me. But he wouldn’t. I have a ton of baggage. Becoming an instant dad might sound novel, but it’s a job. I can’t chance Danny thinking he finally has a father, only to have Jack up and leave.” Danny would just have to wait a little longer for a positive male figure to enter his life.
Dammit.
“Jack isn’t like our father, Jessie.”
“I know that,” she said, tapping her head. “In here. But in here,” she tapped her chest, “I can’t risk it.”
Monica took her hand and squeezed. “If you really feel that way, then why are you so upset and torn?”
“Because the thought of never seeing him again hurts. The pain is so deep, and the air is so thick I can’t breathe. What if I’m wrong? What if we could work it out? He stormed out of here so fast. I’ve never seen him so angry.” She brushed away a tear and forced the rest back.
“He asked you to marry him and you said no. He’s probably hurt, too.”
Jessie’s lip quivered. “I know.”
“Do you love him?” Monica whispered.
Jessie drew in a sharp breath. “I can’t, Mo. I can’t.” But God help her, she did.
“You know what I think?” Monica tapped her hands and smiled. “I think if he really wants you, loves you, he’ll be back.”
Jessie started to shake her head.