Sweet Obsession (Men of Whiskey Row Book 1) (45 page)

“What? You can’t just leave! We need to talk about-” Alicia sputtered as Noelle gave her a bright smile.

“Mother, I’m not sure exactly sure what Jack has on you, but I’m sure it’s nothing you would want floating around. He’s been nothing but professional to you, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want him as an enemy, or even me for that matter. I’m going to be with him, and together we will raise our baby. If you can’t be happy for me, stay away until you can at least fake it. Last warning, Mother, butt out of other people’s affairs or you won’t like the results,” Noelle said with finality before walking away.

“Bravo, my girl,” Ian said admiringly and watched her leave before turning to an open-mouthed Alicia. “Oh, dear; looks like someone just discovered that they’re not the sun; therefore, we the world, don’t revolve around them.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her a firm squeeze and a big smile. “Cheer up, old girl. Our baby is going to have a baby!”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Noelle called Avery from home where she was busy packing. “Would you mind me slipping away for a couple of days? I did the payroll this morning and can email you the dishes that catering should be working on in my absence,” she detailed, grabbing a handful of socks and tossing them into her suitcase.

“Not a problem. Lunch was so bad that you need to get away huh?” Avery teased.

Noelle laughed. “Actually, it turned out to be a real eye-opening experience. I got a lot of crap off my chest that I’ve wanted to say to my mom; and if she doesn’t feel the need to speak to me for a while or ever again, I think I’ll be okay.”

“Hallelujah and praise Jesus! Well then, where are you going?” Avery asked curiously.

“Ave, I’m going to get my man,” Noelle said simply and laughed as Avery started shrieking with happiness. She wished her luck and promised she’d find a way to stop Sidra from hurting Jack before hanging up.

When Noelle was done packing, she wheeled her suitcase to the front door and called for a cab. As she waited, she remembered the flat package Ian had given her at lunch earlier. Walking over to her purse by the door, she pulled it and studied it before cautiously opening it and looking inside. What the hell??

***

Jack surveyed his face in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. Gone was the scruffy, mountain man. The gnarly, long curls had been cut close to his head, and he was once again clean-shaven. He looked like his old self except for the large bruise on his cheek courtesy of his brother’s meaty fist. Jack grimaced, thinking of how badly he’d fucked up. Yeah, he’d needed the sense to be knocked into him, just not so fucking hard.

When he came to, Darby and Casey were playing cards. His head felt like it was exploding and his face felt like someone took a hammer to it. Groaning, he struggled to sit up, but felt really dizzy. “Somebody want to tell me what the hell happened?”

“Oh good, you’re up. Bout time, Darby is slower than molasses when it comes to Spades,” Casey said cheerfully as he got up and handed Jack a cup of lukewarm coffee along with two aspirin.

“Bite me, jerk,” Darby grumbled good-naturedly as he gave his big brother a guilty look. “How are you feeling, Jackie?”

“Why’d you hit me, D?” Jack asked sourly as he carefully touched his face. He winced in pain, and his eyes promised retribution as he glared at his middle brother.

“Because you needed some damn sense knocked into you, that’s why. If you were actin’ any dumber, you could throw yourself to the ground and miss,” Casey responded before Darby could. “You’re a grown fucking man, pouting up here like a big-ass baby.”

“You’re a little shit, Casey. I know this whole thing was your idea; and when I get up, I’m gonna beat the fuck outta you,” Jack vowed as he popped the aspirin.

“I’m real scared,” Casey said dismissively. “Now that you’re finally sober, let’s talk. I’m here because Noelle finally decided to give you what you’ve been asking for.”

Jack felt his heart stop and he froze with the coffee mug halfway to his lips. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, you heartless son of a bitch. You know exactly what I mean.” Casey picked up the envelope that he brought in and tossed it on the sofa next to Jack. “It means she finally saw the light and signed the papers. In a couple of months, you’ll be a free man. Congratulations, asshole.”

Jack’s mind was racing while his heart was breaking all over again. This was the moment he’d been dreading. She’d finally realized he wasn’t shit and decided to move on. Meanwhile he was frozen with guilt and pain. Every time he closed his eyes, she stole into his dreams, making him fall in love with her all over again. But she was way too good for him and he didn’t deserve her after he’d hurt her so badly.

Darby shook his head in frustration. “C’mon man. What are you doing? That little gal looked at you with nothin’ but love in her eyes. Everyone could see that! I mean, this was your chance to be happy. You were supposed to break the Sullivan curse and get your ‘happy ever after’! Why would you deliberately screw it up? You’re one of the smartest guys I know. How could you screw this up?”

“Because I was scared!” Jack yelled and gave a mirthless chuckle at their looks of surprise. “What, I can’t be scared? Well I was! All anybody wants is someone to look up to and fix their damn problems. I’m supposed to have all the answers and make everything better for everyone. That’s how you guys see me right?

“The first time I saw Noelle; I knew she was it for me. She was so beautiful and had all these cool quirks that made her perfect; and I wanted her—so badly that I became obsessed with her, and it made me feel sick to my stomach because of Patrick. She was all I could think about, but she was young too. What would she want with an old guy like me?” Jack shook his head “I felt like if I did get her, I would keep her under lock and key. Hell, you’ve seen firsthand how I get about anyone touching her, and you’re my damn brothers! I felt like I didn’t deserve her because I wouldn’t be able to treat her right!

So instead of wooing her, I stayed away until the perfect opportunity presented itself, and I just couldn’t resist. I selfishly took it and hoped with time that I could make her love me, but the shit backfired and she found out; said she was through with me,” Jack said bitterly as he tossed back the rest of the coffee. “It made me crazy to think that she would leave, and then stuff got a little out of hand.” He hung his head in shame. Suddenly Darby was there in front of him dragging him up by the front of his shirt and they were nose to nose.

“What did you do?” Darby asked in a savage whisper. You could hear a pin drop; the room was so quiet. Casey stepped up next to him and placed a hand on Darby’s shoulder as if to restrain him; but the look he gave Jack let him know that he was seconds away from getting fucked up if they didn’t like his answer. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a buzz saw.

Jack’s eyes were as cold as the Arctic. “No, I didn’t rape or beat my wife if that’s what you’re thinking. Despite what Casey said, I’m not as big of a bastard that our father was. Now get your hands off of me, before I put you through a fucking window.”

Darby released him on a ragged sigh, stepped back, and raked his hands through his hair. “Hell, Jack, I’m sorry, but you know I had to ask.”

“When are you gonna get it in your thick skull that you are nothing like Patrick Sullivan?” Casey asked in frustration. “At thirteen, you were more of a father to us than he ever was. You looked out for us while Ma had to work and disciplined us when it was needed. Even after Lex took us in, you refused to let down your guard and just be a kid. We’ll forever be grateful for your love and care. But if YOU, the guy who takes care of all of us, don’t think that you deserve happiness; then hell, we’re all doomed.”

Darby nodded his head in agreement. “I know you stayed away as long as you did because you still carried pain and guilt over her death, but we could see Noelle helped to ease that. You couldn’t save Ma, but she saved us the best she could and gave us the chance to be free. Letting Noelle go will be the worst mistake of your life, and Ma wouldn’t want you losing out on the opportunity to be happy.”

His brother’s words were the ones he’d needed to be free. He’d needed to hear that they didn’t harbor feelings of anger and resentment towards him, and that they knew he’d done his best.

The first thing he did upon sobering up was send Kat a large apology bouquet of white roses. He also emailed Vivienne and Ian to let them know he was okay, and he’d be coming back soon. His bags were packed, and Darby was giving him a ride to the airport. The signed, divorce papers were burning a hole inside of his jacket.

Noelle probably hated his guts right now, but he wasn’t going to give up without a fight. He was a fool to walk away. But he’d be an even bigger fool if he just let her go and not do anything to prevent it. From the moment he saw her, he knew they were meant to be together. Now it was time to make her see that truth also. He walked out of the bathroom and grabbed his bags from the bedroom before meeting Darby and Casey in the living room.

Darby gave a wolf whistle and started humming the James Bond theme song, “The name’s Sullivan. Jack Sullivan.”

Casey chuckled, and Jack rolled his eyes, “Come on you clowns. I gotta go get my gal back.”

“Yeah about that…”, Casey said, rubbing his neck hard and avoiding Darby’s narrow- eyed gaze.

Jack didn’t hear him as he opened the door and looked at the rain coming down. “We better get going. Judging from the look of those clouds over there, it’s gonna really start coming down. Lock up, Case!” He shouted over his shoulder as he jogged to the car with his suitcases.

Darby shook his head as he walked out the door. “Tell me you didn’t. Never mind, don’t tell me anything. I refuse to be your accomplice, Mr. Prosecutor. No wonder folks have no faith in our justice system.”

“On a scale of one to ten, how mad do you think he’ll be?” Casey asked, whistling happily as he locked the door and followed Darby down the porch stairs.

“Don’t ask me. I sure as hell ain’t stickin’ around to see if he cancels your birth certificate,” Darby said cheerfully.

***

Noelle was anxious as she slowly drove towards Gatlinburg. The rain was coming down in torrents. The elderly salesman at the car rental place in Knoxville looked at her dubiously when she asked what the best way to get to Whiskey Row was.

“You sure you want to take that trip right now, Miss?” he asked. “I gotta say, it’s starting to rain here now, and as dark as the clouds are up there, it’s surely pouring. You should probably stay in town tonight and let it slow down a bit,” he suggested even though Noelle was already shaking her head in the negative.

“Thanks for your concern, but I have to get up there tonight.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine, I promise.”

Noelle saw the intersection up ahead and started to slow the VW Bug down. It rolled to a complete stop fifteen feet behind the big rig in front of her. It seemed impossible, but the rain started coming down even harder, and she could barely see the brake lights in front of her. With a sigh of resignation, she had to concede that the salesman was correct about the weather tonight.

She decided to turn around and head back towards the hotel she passed ten minutes ago. Seeing no divider between the lanes, Noelle checked for any oncoming traffic. The opposite lane was clear, so she started to slowly turn the wheel to the left. The loud squeal of tires from behind made her jump. In her rearview mirror, there were lights from a larger vehicle swerving on the slick road, hurtling straight at her. Noelle didn’t even have time to scream before everything went black.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Thanks to Darby’s driving skills, the trip down the mountain wasn’t as hard as Jack thought it would be. He looked at his watch and saw it was only five-thirty in the evening, but the sky was pitch black due to the storm. Prickles of unease slid down his back. He felt a little off and chalked it up to them cutting it close for his seven forty-five flight, but he felt confident he’d make it.

“The rain seems to be easing up as we get closer to Gatlinburg, but not by much. It will be much lighter in Knoxville,” Casey offered, checking the weather app on his phone from the passenger seat.