Not Quite Dating(62)

Back at the hotel, Jack learned that his father had finished his meeting and instructed the staff to enjoy their holiday. Luckily, Gaylord wasn’t in Jack’s suite when he returned. Katie, on the other hand, was.
“Any calls?” he asked, knowing damn well the one he wanted to call wouldn’t.
His sister shook her head. “None. Give her some time, Jack. She’ll come around.”
Katie couldn’t know that for certain, but it was nice of her to lend her support. “I should have told her.”
“Yes, you should have.”
Jack couldn’t even muster the energy to be pissed at his sister for siding with Jessie.
“I think I know what tipped Jessie off,” Katie said.
Jack threw his keys on the coffee table. “What?”
“The media was in the lobby today and must have overheard something about your personal life. You, big brother, are tonight’s entertainment report for the local station. A picture of you and me made it to the headlines.”
“What headlines?”
“About an impending wedding announcement between you and a mystery bride.”
Jack didn’t see the problem. He’d asked Jessie to marry him once and all but promised he’d ask again in the very near future. “Jessie knows how I feel about her.”
“Does she? Did you propose again?”
“No, I told you I needed to come clean first.”
Katie tilted her head and gave him a wan smile. “Did you tell her you love her? Guys suck with the ‘L’ word.”
“I told her I cared for her more than—”
“Blah. You skipped the ‘L’ word. Now she thinks you’re ready to walk down the aisle with someone else.”
“There is no one else.”
“She doesn’t know that,” Katie countered. “She saw a picture of you and me talking; for all we know, she thinks I’m the other woman.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Jack cried. “You’re my sister.”
“I’m sure you pulled out the ole family album and showed her a picture of me.”
No, he hadn’t done that. Still, Katie wasn’t afraid of the spotlight. Hell, she’d been on more covers of magazines than a lot of top models. Surely Jessie had seen her before. Once Jessie had connected Jack Morrison to Jack Moore, the pieces would fall in line. Jessie would have to know Katie was the woman in the picture.
“Jack, trust me, Jessie is thinking the worst about you right now. A little time will need to pass before she’ll give you a minute to talk.”
Not the words he wanted to hear. Physical pain settled in his chest when he thought of how Jessie must have painted him.
“I’m going out,” Jack said, reaching for the keys he’d placed on the table.
“Where?”
“Anywhere. I can’t stand here waiting for her to call.” He suspected he’d be waiting for a long time. “I need to find her.”
Katie stopped him from leaving the room. “Have dinner,” she encouraged. “Regroup so you have an idea where to look.”
Food wasn’t even on his radar.
Jack placed his hands on his sister’s shoulders and moved her out of his way. “If she calls…”
“Yeah, yeah…go. I’ll call you.”
Jack kissed her cheek and left the penthouse.


Jessie hadn’t intended to run home to Mother, but she didn’t have anywhere else to go. And although they didn’t get along on the day-to-day things, Renee could be counted on in a bind. Besides, when it came to men and the games they played, she could be relied upon to watch Jessie’s back.
Something else boded well for Renee, and that was her lack of standing in judgment. Even when Jessie had found herself pregnant as a teenager, Renee never judged her.
She hadn’t been happy, but she didn’t judge.
Danny fell asleep on the couch, disappointed that they weren’t going home.
Jessie sat huddled under a blanket outside on her mother’s porch. The cold kept her numb. Numb was a good thing. Feeling nothing would be even better.
How could she be so blind?
What a fool.
Jessie couldn’t even take pleasure in the shocked expression that had shot to Jack’s face when she’d barged in on his meeting. They’d both been stunned silent. She for seeing him dressed in clothes that would take her a month to purchase. Sitting at the head of the table meant he was the big boss, the leader, the billionaire to whom everyone at the table answered.
If only she could cry, maybe then she’d feel better.
The door to the house opened and Jessie’s mother stepped out. “Danny still asleep?”
Renee removed a cigarette from a pack and went through the process of lighting it up. The habit had aged her mother prematurely, Jessie realized. “Like a baby,” Renee said.
“Good. It’s been a big day for him.”
Renee sat beside Jessie on the swing and moved the cigarette to where the smoke wouldn’t blow in Jessie’s face. Renee was thinner than Jessie would like, her skin weathered for her sixty-two years.
Her mom looked tired.
“It’s been a big day for you, too.”
Jessie had heard Monica explaining to their mother what had happened before she ran off to stay with a friend. Jessie made her promise not to run to Jack and tell him where she was. Pinky swears and sister pledges went a long way in situations like this. Jessie hoped to hell she’d never be in this exact situation again.
“He lied to me, Mom.”
Renee tipped the swing until it rocked back and forth in a gentle motion. “Monica told me, but I kept thinking about something…”