Not Quite Dating(64)

“You talked with Monica?”
At least Katie had the good sense to let the shit-eating grin on her face fall. “Don’t look so shocked. Sisters are always looking out for each other.”
“You don’t have a sister.” Jack hoped his sister heard the sternness in his voice.
“I get the divine pleasure of looking out for you.”
“When did you talk to Monica?”
“Before we flew back. I’ve left a message for her since, but she hasn’t called me back.”
All this time Katie may have held the key to finding Jessie and she had held out on him. Why?
Jack picked up the phone. “What’s her number again?”
Katie called out the seven digits and Jack put the number to use. While the phone rang, Jack moved to the patio for some privacy.
He was about to give up when suddenly Monica’s voice said, “Well, if it isn’t the town snake. How is the grass you’re lying in, Jack? Get it, lying in?” There wasn’t a drop of humor in Monica’s voice.
“I can explain everything.”
“Save it. I’m not interested.”
Jack knew he’d lose her if he didn’t act fast.
“There is no other woman. The picture on TV was of my sister. Sassy woman who talked to you last week.”
Monica was breathing into the phone, but not saying a thing.
“I need to talk to Jessie. Please, Monica.”
“Next you’ll be telling me you’re not a millionaire, or is it billionaire?”
The need to apologize for having money held a bit of irony. “I had my reasons. Reasons I need to tell Jessie, not you. Where is she, Monica?”
The cool afternoon wind blew in his face. Jack turned to-ward it.
“I don’t know.”
“I can’t make this right if I don’t talk to Jessie. I can make this right.” Please, dammit, give me an address.
“The woman in the picture is Katie?”
He was getting somewhere…he knew it. “I swear on my life. She’s right here, she’ll tell you.”
“If you’re lying to me—”
“I’m not.”
After a long pause, Monica said, “She’s at my mom’s.”
“I need an address.”
“I swear if you’re bullshitting me, Jack Morrison, I’ll kick your cowboy ass all the way back to Texas.”
“Address, Monica. Please.”
“Oh, OK, fine. I’m only telling you this because Jessie’s so damn miserable and your sister was sincere when we talked.” She rattled off the address while Jack flew into the suite to write it down.
“Thank you.” Jack studied the address and committed it to memory.
“Thank me by making my sister happy,” she scolded.
“That’s my intention.”
Jack hung up the phone and noticed his dad and sister staring at him.
“Well?” Gaylord asked.
Across the room was a huge clock hanging on the wall. “I found her.” With any luck, he would be able to bring Jessie and Danny back before dinner.
He hoped.



Chapter Seventeen


Jessie’s mom had taken Danny for some last-minute Christmas madness known as shopping. At first, Jessie liked the idea of a little solitude so she could think about what she was going to say to Jack when the man showed back up in her life. He would, she knew he would. According to her boss, he’d called her work asking about her schedule. Not to mention the messages he’d left on her cell phone, all of which Jessie had deleted without listening to. Now that the house was empty and there wasn’t a single thing to occupy her mind other than Jack, Jessie regretted not leaving with her son and mother.
Gravel kicked up by the wheels of a car sounded outside before Jessie recognized the squeal of brakes. She tossed the magazine in her hands aside and opened the curtains.
Her heart gave a hard kick in her chest when she recognized Jack’s truck in the drive.
He sat in the driver’s seat with both hands on the steering wheel, staring at her car parked in front of his. Jack moved and Jessie shot back, letting the drapes fall into place.
“Oh God.” Now what?
Heavy boots climbed the few steps to her mother’s porch, and finally Jack knocked on the door.
For a fleeting moment, she thought she could hold still and he would walk away.
“I know you’re in there, Jessie. I saw you in the window.”
So much for that plan.
“I’m not leaving until you let me explain,” he pleaded from the other side of the door.
Jessie moved to the opposite side of the room and sat in a chair. She closed her eyes and gripped the edge of the chair. She’d just as soon get this over with so the healing could begin. As sure as Christmas would come, Jack wouldn’t leave until he spoke with her…if only to make himself feel better. “The door’s open,” she finally said.
The knob on the door made a loud click as Jack twisted it. He breached the door quickly and then hesitated before opening it up enough to see her.
His haggard clothing and the growth of stubble on his chin were evidence that he might have had a sleepless night or two. Good, she thought. He didn’t deserve to sleep after the pain he’d caused her.
Shutting the door slowly, Jack took his time to walk into the room. His eyes drifted around the small mobile home before coming to rest on her. What did he see? Jessie looked around the space and saw memories of her childhood. Some pleasant, others well worth forgetting. For better or for worse, this was home. This was the place she ran to when faced with difficult decisions.