Looking Out for Lexy (28 page)

             
Jack cleared his throat and began speaking again.  He had made her say what he wanted to hear.  Now he had to give her some painful news, and he wasn’t looking forward to it.  He had needed to know how she felt about him before he broke the news.

    
              “Look Lexy, angel, I wanted to tell you this last night when we got home.”  He hesitated and then plunged ahead.  “I have to go to Africa in a week for three weeks to shoot some footage for the video.  We're doing some scenes in the Sahara.”

             
He continued quickly. “I would like to come and see you this next weekend before I leave.  I’d like to meet your kids and get to know them.  Once I’m over there I don’t know when I’ll have time to get in touch with you.  We can get together as soon as I get back to the states.  I want you in my life, Lexy, all the time.”  He had that helpless little boy look again.

    
              “Does this mean Gina will be there too?”  Lexy looked at him with consternation. 

    
              He had expected that question and she didn’t disappoint him.  “I won’t deny that, Lexy.  She will be there.  I love you, not her.  Haven’t you got that into that pretty head of yours yet?  I wouldn’t be with you if I cared anything about her.  She already knows how I feel.  I’m afraid I was rather blunt about the whole thing.  You see, there is nothing to worry about.”  He looked at her, his dark eyes revealing his passion for her.

    
              “I..I guess so Jack.” Lexy was not feeling at all at ease with his explanation.  “Won’t it be dangerous?  They are always fighting over there!” she sighed.  “Besides, it will be a long three weeks without you.”

     
              “I’ll be fine, baby.  Don’t worry.  There’ll be plenty of security.  You know I’ll miss you too.” 

             
He got up from the table and walked around to where she sat.  He pulled her up out of the chair and put his arms around her, holding her close.  Lexy clung to him fiercely.  She trusted Jack, but not Gina.  Who would guard him against her?  Her heart was afraid, but she didn’t want Jack to know that.  It would seem as if she were the jealous type and that she didn’t trust him.  Trust!  She knew all about trust and a relationship.  Well, she decided,  she could trust one more time. 

             
“Come on, honey.  I want to show you something before we leave for the airstrip.”  He pulled her out the door and took her over to a small shed.  He lifted the wooden bolt and swung the doors open.

             
“Oh, Jack.  It’s the Harley.  You kept it.”  Excitement danced in her eyes.  “Let’s go for a quick ride.  It still works doesn’t it?”

             
“Yeah, the old girl can still take a turn or two.  One thing about Harley’s, they get old, but like fine wine, they only get better.”  Jack steered it out of the shed.  “Grab the helmets over there, Lexy.”

             
Their helmets secure, Lexy put her arms around him as they rode off down the mountain valley.  Twenty minutes later, they were brushing the dust off and laughing like two kids.

             
“That was so great, Jack.  Just like old times.”

             
“Yeah, it was great.”  Great, feeling her arms around him again, wild and free.  “Time to go, Lexy.  We’ll just make it.”

             
“Okay.  Race you to the house.”  She took off, leaving him in her dust.                 

             
Driving back to the small airstrip, once again, Lexy drank in the splendor of the valley, green and lush.  God’s country she thought.  Back home everything was covered with white. Yes, she could surely live among all this loveliness and be blissfully happy.

   
              “You are the first one I’ve brought here, you know.”  Jack's voice broke into her thoughts.

   
              “I figured that out when I stepped into your house.  I couldn’t understand why, what was his name, Evan, was watching me so intently, like I was an alien or something.  I knew the moment I entered  the house that I was probably the first female of any kind to be there.”

             
Jack pulled Lexy to him and kissed her tenderly.  “I’ll miss you, Lexy angel.”

   
              “I’ll miss you too Jack.”  She paused.  “Jack, I think there is something you should know before you come next week-end.”

             
“And what terrible thing might that be?” He watched her expectantly.

             
“Well, you see, it’s just that...I...I’m not a very good housekeeper!”  Lexy looked away as Jack burst into laughter.  She couldn’t bring herself to tell him about Ryan, yet.

             
“I won’t even be looking at the house, Lexy.”

             
“Oh.”

             
“I’ll see you soon, angel.”

             
And will you be in for a shock.
  Shuddering at the thought of Jack meeting Ryan for the first time, Lexy knew she should have told him, but the moment had passed.  Now she could say nothing.

             
He watched as she boarded the plane.  She turned, waved and disappeared through the doorway.  With his hands jammed in his pockets, Jack turned and walked slowly back towards his truck.  The woman of his dreams was leaving him....for the time being.  His dreams.  It was about time his dreams came true.  Jack swung into the Dodge and headed back to the ranch.  It wouldn’t be the same without her there.  For the first time in a long, long while, he didn’t look forward to that empty feeling.

              Jack called her twice that next week.  He managed to make her blush each time he called as he would recall their previous weekend together. 

She had reserved the best suite at the Milwaukee Hyatt, one of southeastern
Wisconsin’s finest.  Lexy also let him know that under no circumstances would she be spending the whole night with him.  He had laughed and teased her saying he’d see about that, knowing he was frustrating her. 

             
Jack realized she couldn’t stay with him, but liked to see her get excited.  He really loved her naive innocence and moralistic attitude.  He didn’t know how a woman could be such a blazing flame of passion in bed, and turn around and be Miss Prim and Proper the next instant.  She amazed him to the point of bewilderment, and he planned to tell her as soon as they were together, alone.  Which couldn’t come soon enough as far as he was concerned.  Jack could barely wait to take her in his arms again.

Twenty-Eight

             
Jessie and Ryan were on hand to greet Jack as he stepped off the plane at around 4:30.   The look on his face when Ryan extended his hand said it all.  He stared  at Lexy, a bewildered look on his face, and then back at Ryan.

             
“We’re going to go Ryan’s game tonight, Mr. Wyatt.  Mom says you like sports, so we thought you would like to go.” 

Jessie was gaping at him with a silly look on her face.

                   “I hope you don’t mind Jack.  I hate to miss Ryan’s games, and I really thought you might enjoy doing something different.  I'm making dinner as soon as we get home.  I’ve checked you in at the hotel so we can go right to my house.  Is that all right with you?”  The look on his face made her cringe.

    
              “Sounds great to me.  From what I hear, Ryan, you’re quite a  basketball player.” 

             
“Yes sir.  At least that’s what some people say.”

             
“You are a senior this year? Did your mom tell me you were eighteen?”

             
“Yes, sir.”

             
Jack gazed intently at the dark haired boy, who was nearly as tall as he was.

             
“Call me Jack.  Sir is too formal.”

             
“Okay, sir-Jack.”

             
“Why don’t you and your sister go on ahead.  We’ll meet you at the car.”  The kids dashed off in the direction of the parking structure.  Jack turned to face Lexy, his face impassive.

             
“Well, Lex.  Is there something you want to tell me.  Now.”  He folded his arms and waited patiently.

             
She stood looking at the floor.  “He’s...Ryan is your son.”  It was barely a whisper.

             
He grabbed her by the arms.  “Look at me.  Lexy.  I said look at me.” 

             
She lifted her eyes to meet his.  “I...I couldn’t tell you.  I just couldn’t.”

             
“Why didn’t you try to find me?  What about Tom?  He must have known.”  He dropped her arms and ran his hand through his shaggy, dark hair.

             
“You must have been pregnant when you married Tom.  How did you explain that one to him?”  He started to pace.

             
“I didn’t have to tell him, Jack.”  Lexy spoke, her voice was suddenly calm.  "When I found out I was pregnant, and you didn't come back, I told Tom I would marry him if it was right away.  He agreed.  Ryan was a couple of months early."  She paused, lowering her head.   Tom thought the baby was his.”

             
“Geez, Lexy, couldn’t he tell?  It’s pretty obvious.  Seeing Ryan was like looking in a mirror, for God’s sakes.”  Jack paced back and forth, faster now.

             
“If he knew, he never said anything.  He treated him like he was his son.”  Lexy grabbed Jack by the arms.

             
“Jack.  Please.  You never came back for me.  Like you said you would.  I had no other choice.  Don’t you see?  I didn’t have a choice.”  Her voice cracked, tears on the verge of spilling out of her luminous eyes.

             
“Lexy.  Lexy.  I’m so sorry.  I should have been there for you.  I should have known you loved me.  God, Lexy, can you forgive me?” 

             
Jack folded his arms around her, pulling her head against his chest.  They stood there, arms around each other.

             
“We’ll talk about this later.”  His lips were against her hair.  “Let’s go before the kids think something is wrong.”

             
“Jack?”  She gazed at him with questions in her damp eyes.

             
“Don’t worry.  I’ll think of something.  I’ll handle it.  Come on.”

             
Arm in arm they made their way through the terminal, saying nothing, with a lot on their minds.

             
Lexy lived in a small, red brick house that she had furnished with soft shades of fall.  When friends or strangers walked into Lexy's house, they felt instantly at home.  During the holidays it was decorated with all of her favorite items she had accumulated throughout the years.  Her home had the soft glow of the holidays.  Jack felt at peace immediately.  Lexy's sentimentality was not lost on him.               

             
“Nice place. I didn’t really notice the last time I was here.”  He commented as he surveyed it carefully, seeing everything about Lexy in it.

    
              She gave him a warning look.  No one knew about that extra
visit. 

             
“Thanks.  I realize it's not what you are used to.  Make yourself at home while I finish getting dinner ready.” 

             
Jack smiled in spite of himself.
If she only knew how he had lived before all his so-called fame.
Jessie took Jack's hand and dragged him into the living room saying they could watch TV while her mom was busy.  Lexy went about the kitchen humming as she finished up.  She smiled to herself as she thought about the many times she had imagined taking Jack to a game with her.  She stopped.  She suddenly realized it was coming true.  The thought took her breath away.  He would see his son play for the first time. 

             
Arms folded around her suddenly and she felt someone nuzzling her neck.  “I’m just checking on my favorite girl.”               

             
She turned around and found herself kissing Jack.  When his kiss grew more insistent, she drew away.