Trusting Jack (11 page)

“I do,” he acknowledged.  “She’s been with me since the beginning.  Alison is the sister Mum always said would ruin her figure.”

Emma laughed.  “Tell me how you met.”

“I’d just been given the role of Posthumas

Leonatus in
Cymbeline
.  I received wonderful reviews.” 

Jack smiled at the memory.  “I received an offer to be in another play.  And another, and another.  I thought
This is it, I’ve made it
.”

“Sounds very exciting.”

“Oh, it was.  I went straight to an agency to hire myself an assistant to handle all the fan mail I was sure to be getting.”  Emma giggled and Jack continued.  “Well, I did receive fan mail.  Though,” he admitted, “not as much as I’d expected.  Then Alison began keeping track of the offers and interviews, the appearances and well, things in general.  I’d be lost without her.”

Jack sat beside Emma and placed his arm around her.  He kissed her cheek.  “I know things like this happen all the time and that she’ll be fine.  You kept me from worrying so much; thank you.”

They both sprang to their feet when they saw Jacob hurrying down the hall. 

“It’s a boy,” he told them, giddy with excitement.  “A healthy nine pound boy with his mum’s eyes.”  He kissed Jack full on the mouth then turned and did the same to Emma.

“How is Alison?” Emma asked.

“Groggy.  And relieved.  We were so frightened.  They have her in recovery.  She’s a trooper, my Alison.  She took one look at him and said ‘Let me rest up a bit and we’ll have a go and getting him a sister’.”

Jack laughed and clapped him on the back.  “I’m glad everything is ok.  Go on back to your family, mate.  We’ll be here tomorrow to see them”

Jacob nodded and left to kiss Alison and glo
at over the miracle they’d made

Chapter 12

              The next morning Jack and Emma set out to find gifts for the new arrival and his mother.  It had turned cold, and Emma was able to wear the brown leather jacket she’d bought during her shopping frenzy.

             
“Look,” Emma told him, “this giraffe is perfect.”  She picked it up and held it out for Jack’s opinion.

             
“Are you sure?”  He eyed the four foot stuffed animal.  “It’s rather large.”

             
“Yeah,” she smiled, “but he’ll grow into it.”  She held on to her pick while Jack looked around and finally settled on a book of children’s poems and a small Teddy bear. 

             
He also bought a miniature tuxedo.  “He can wear it when they go to the park,” he said and made Emma laugh.

             
They continued to wander the shops, teasing each other, and looking for gifts for Alison.  When Emma spotted a small silver jewelry box studded with turquoise she bought it immediately.  “She’ll love it,” she said.

             
As they passed a display of handbags in a shop window, Jack paused.  “I remember Alison being excited when she saw this in a magazine.  I believe it’s a good occasion to buy it for her.”

             
Emma stayed outside to answer a text from Chris.  When she heard a still-familiar voice call her name she turned.  She couldn’t believe it her eyes.

             
“I thought it was you, Emma.  What are you doing in London?”

             
“Hello, Ryan,” she greeted him quietly.  He was

still as handsome as when she first saw him.  Tension

snaked around her and her heart hurt a bit.  “Norah’s

filming here.”

              “Yeah, I’d heard she snapped her fingers and you went running back to be at her beck and call.”

             
“Did you want something?”

             
“Just to say hello.  I’m here on business and I couldn’t leave without bringing something back for Renee.”  He held up a small black bag.  “She picked it out online before I left home.  Rubies.  She has excellent taste.”  He smiled.  “I see yours hasn’t changed much, although that jacket is nice.”

             
Emma stiffened and hurt flashed in her eyes.  “Why do you insist on being cruel?”

             
“I just don’t understand you.  I tried and tried to work with you; did nothing I say sink in?”

             
“Damn you, Ryan.”  Tears threatened to erupt.  “You really are a bastard.”

Jack came out of the shop and noticed Emma’s eyes.  He put a comforting arm around her and turned steely eyes on the man standing in front of her. 

“Hello,” he said, barely masking the anger in his voice.  He held out a hand.  “Jack Brandon.  I take it you know my Emma.”

             
“Ryan McNeil,” he replied as he returned the handshake.  “Jack Brandon!  Well, I’m pleased to meet you; I’ve seen several of your performances in New York.”  He suddenly noticed the way Jack held Emma and his smile faltered.

             
“Always nice to meet a fan.”  Jack kept his voice even and continued.  “McNeil.  You’re Emma’s ex-husband, then.  I can’t thank you enough.”

             
“I beg your pardon?”

             
“For being fool enough to let her go.”  He

pulled Emma closer.  “Because you did, I had the good luck to meet her.”  He kissed Emma’s cheek.  “And become completely besotted with her.”

              Ryan stood speechless for a moment and frowned.  “Well,” he muttered.

             
Emma’s heart tilted again at Jack’s willingness to defend her.  “Well,” she returned brightly, determined to show Ryan she was happy.  “It was good seeing you again, but we have to go.”  She held up the bag with the giraffe’s head sticking out.  “We’ve got to deliver these to a friend before we’re due on set.  Give my best to Renee, won’t you?  Goodbye, Ryan.”

             
“Goodbye,” he returned.  He wondered how the hell Emma had managed to become that close to a successful actor.

             
Jack bared his teeth in a semblance of a smile and left with Emma, his arm now snugly wrapped around her waist.  Ryan shook his head and walked back to his hotel.

***

              Alison went wild over the gifts, especially the giraffe.  Emma looked at Jack with eyes that said I told you so.  He rolled his own.

             
“Thank you so much,” Alison said to Emma.  “I adore the jewelry box.”

“I thought you would,” she replied as Aliso
n reached for the last gift bag.

“Oh, Jack,” she exclaimed.  “Jack, it’s beautiful!  You remembered how much I wanted it, even the color.”  She stroked the supple cognac leather and beamed.  “Look here, darling,” she told Jacob as he came in with the baby.  “I have a new handbag.”

             
“To go along with your countless others,” he

smiled.  He gave her the baby and she cuddled him.

              “I’ve named him Jacob Brandon,” she announced, “after the man I love and the man I consider a great friend.”

             
“I’m honored,” Jack said quietly.  “Honored and humbled.  We are great friends,” he told Alison as he touched the baby’s hand and kissed Alison’s cheek.

             
She held the baby out.  “Would you like to hold him?”

             
Jack stepped back, slightly panicked.  “Not now; he’s a bit small.  What if I drop him?  No, I believe I’ll wait till he’s bigger.”

             
The others grinned and Alison looked at Emma.  “Would you?”

             
“You bet.”  She gently took him and smiled into his tiny face.  “You’re such a handsome boy,” she crooned, “Such a good baby.”

             
Jack watcher her slowly rock the baby back and forth.  He felt a mirror tilt of what she’d felt earlier and thought
, My God.  I
am
completely besotted by her
.

             
After leaving, they sped to the set.  Emma was lost in thought on the way.  Finally, when they were almost there, she spoke.  “Thank you,” she said quietly, honestly.  “It meant the world to watch you stand up for me.”

             
“He hurt you back then and he hurt you today.  I can still see the shadow of it in your eyes.”

             
“I didn’t know he still could,” she admitted.  “But when I saw him, all those feelings of self-doubt and insecurity came rushing back, the same ones I felt when we split up.  I’m embarrassed to know they were still there.”

             
“You shouldn’t be embarrassed.  But, Emma,

until you overcome those feelings you won’t really be able to move on.  Not completely.”

              Emma sighed.  “You’re right,” she agreed.  “And I’m trying hard. I promise I am.”

             
Jack smiled at her as they arrived.  He kissed her temple and walked into work.

Chapter 13

             
“You spoil me, baby.  You shouldn’t have done it,” Ann’s voice sounded over the telephone.

             
“I know you’ve always wanted an Alaskan cruise.  You can take three weeks and have fun with Aunt Rhodie,” she said, referring to her mother’s sister.

             
“Do you think the café will be ok with me gone that long?”

             
Emma rolled her eyes.  “Yes, Mama.  Penny is more than capable.”

             
“I know, but the café is my other baby.”  Ann laughed.  “I’m excited to go.  I can hardly wait till the first of next month.  Oh, Chris called earlier and sent a huge bouquet of roses, the love.  He also sent a magazine with a certain couple on the front.”

             
“Chris should mind his own business,” Emma muttered.

             
“Jack Brandon, talented actor, eligible bachelor, drop dead sexy.  I googled him.”

             
“Mama!” Emma laughed.

             
“Just cause I’m old, baby, don’t mean I’m blind.  Are you happy?”

             
“I am.  I feel good when I’m with him.”

             
“I can imagine,” Ann drawled and made Emma blush from thousands of miles away.

             
“Happy Birthday, Mama.  I love you.”

             
“I love you, too, Emma.  Be a good girl.”

             
Emma ended the call and made her way down the stairs to check Norah’s schedule again.  “Filming at four tomorrow, interview at eleven the day after,” she muttered to herself, making notes.

“We need more strawberries,” she decided as

she opened the refrigerator.  She took the last ones out

for breakfast and sat to make a list for the store.

             
Norah’s chamomile tea and strawberries, of course
she thought as she wrote. 
Milk, clotted cream, and scones
.  She’s developed an addiction.  Her mind wandered and she thought about the run in with Ryan.  It had given her a jolt.

             
Made her jumpy, she admitted, and made her feel insecure again. 
Why
did he still have that effect on her, damn it?  They’d been divorced for over a year now, and she’d realized some time ago that she’d never really loved him.  She’d been impressed with him, flattered by him.  Amazed that he could be interested in someone like her.  She’d convinced herself it was love. 

             
She knew,
she knew
, he’d messed with her head; knew it was past time to get over it.  But there was still that kernel of self-doubt she couldn’t shake.  It was beginning to piss her off. 

             
So she’d work harder at it, she resolved as she gave herself a mental shake.  She wasn’t going to brood and she wasn’t going to let it hurt her relationship with Jack.

             
She was going to the store.