Trusting Jack (7 page)

             
“You look beautiful,” he told her with a smile.  He held out a bouquet of white roses.  “For you.”

             
“They’re lovely, thank you.”  She took the roses and sniffed them.  “I love flowers.”  She handed them to Norah, who offered to put them in a vase and left the room.

             
“I’ve made reservations at Vivendo’s, a few blocks from here.  They have wonderful Italian food.”  Jack held the door open for her.

             
“I’m fond of Italian,” Emma said as she stepped outside.  She stopped and stared.  “An Aston-Martin?” she asked.

             
He shrugged.  “It beats walking.”

             
“That it does.”  Emma thanked him as he held open the door and walked around to slide into the driver’s seat.  “I think you’re trying to impress me.”

             
“Is it working?” He smiled, and she shook her head.

             
“A bit,” she admitted.  “What’s James up to?”

             
“Oh, he’s off after one woman or another.  The man is a complete cad.”

             
“He’s a flirt,” she agreed.  “I like him, though.”

             
“He’ll do,” Jack said blandly and made Emma laugh.  “He calls you ‘Lovely Emma’ and demands to know when he gets a date with you.” 

             
“He’s next in line,” Emma said lightly as they pulled away.  She settled into the soft black leather of the seat.  “You have a beautiful car.”

He flashed a grin.  “It’s a Vanquish.  Zero to

sixty in four seconds and can reach a top speed

of one hundred eighty.  And it’s such a pretty

red, too.”  Emma laughed as they reached

Vivendo’s.

              Before they could make it inside the door, two couples stopped Jack and asked for autographs.  He smiled warmly at them as he signed napkins.  He posed for photographs and laughingly kissed the women’s cheeks.  Emma hung back and let him work his magic on the fans.  When they had complimented his acting one more time, and he’d thanked them, they went on their way and he took Emma’s arm and led her inside. 

             
The host greeted them warmly and led them to a back table.  The light from numerous candles gave the room an intimate glow, and soft music strained through the air.  Emma’s chair was pulled out for her, and a wine list was brought out for inspection.

             
“I think a Pinot Noir would be nice, don’t you?” Jack asked.  Emma consented and watched the ritual wine taste and pour.  After hearing the specials, Emma decided on apricot chicken and Jack settled for the braised pork loin.

             
“I’m sorry for that,” he told her.  “Sometimes fans pop up when I least expect it.”

             
“It’s no problem,” she assured him.  “It happens to Norah, too; it’s part of the package.  The people love you, and you love them back.”  She grinned. 

             
“Yes,” he admitted.  “It is nice to be told how much someone enjoyed your performance in this play or that.  I love theater.  When I was offered the part of Edward III, I thought long and hard before accepting.”

             
“Why?”

             
“I’d honestly never thought of doing film.  But

after reading the script, I realized it would be a fabulous

rendition of history and I wanted to be a part of it.  James, of course, told me I just wanted to see my pretty face plastered on the big screen.”

             
Emma laughed.  “You and James seem genuinely fond of one another.”  She sipped her wine.

             
“We are.  My parents were away on business most of the time so I basically lived at James’s home.  His mother often says she raised two boys.”

             
“It must have been hard for you, not seeing your parents much.”

             
Jack shrugged.  “I was used to it.  They love me, I know, but are just absorbed in their own lives.  James and I grew close and stayed that way.  He’s like my brother.”

             
Emma nodded.  “That’s how I feel about Chris.  We were nearly inseparable growing up.”

             
“Alison told me he’s your closest friend,” Jack said as their food was placed on the table.  “I’ll admit I was jealous before I knew.  I thought I’d have to compete for your attention.”             

Emma laughed.  “Not hardly.  After high school Chris went to New York armed with the plays he’d written.  I stayed, went to college, and got an accounting degree.”

              “That sounds…well, rather dull actually.  Math is so boring.”

             
“That’s what Chris says, too.”  Emma tasted her chicken.  “Good,” she decided.  “After that, I went to visit him.  That’s when I met Norah and the whirlwind began.”  She smiled at the memory.  “I loved it.”

             
Jack waited a beat, the said casually, “Norah mentioned an ex-husband.”

             
“She would have.”  Emma forked another bite

of chicken.  “I met Ryan almost immediately after

getting to New York.  We dated for two months before

we were married.  I let him talk me into trusting him, that he knew what was best for me.  Stupid of me, I guess”

              Jack could see the pain and embarrassment flash in her eyes.  He reached across the table and laid his hand over hers.  “He’s the stupid one, Emma, for letting you go.”

             
Emma looked into his eyes and smiled a little.  “Thank you,” she said simply.

             
They lingered over coffee as Jack kept Emma amused with tales of his and James’s childhood exploits.  “He climbed into the oak tree so he could jump down and frighten me,” he remembered, “but the branch gave away and he fell and broke his arm.  He spent the next six weeks charming our classmates into doing his schoolwork.”

             
Emma giggled.  “It sounds like his mama had her hands full with you two.”

             
“And did you ever misbehave?”

             
“This one time,” she told him as they got ready to leave, “Mama had picked tons of cherries to make pies with, and she absolutely forbade me and Chris to eat any while she went to check on something at the café.”             

Jack signed the check and placed his hand on the small of Emma’s back as they exited the restaurant.  “And,” he prompted as they settled into the car.  He kept her fingers linked with his.

             
“We gobbled them, of course.  We ate cherries until I thought we’d bust.  Later that night we got so sick.  Mama was scared to death, thinking it was blood.  I haven’t eaten a cherry since.”

             
Jack chuckled.  “Naughty children.”   When they reached the house, Jack walked with Emma to the door.

             
“I had a really good time,” she said quietly.  “Thank you.”

             
“Would you like to go to the park tomorrow?  It’s going to be lovely weather.”   Jack tightened his grip on her fingers and pulled her a little closer.  “Please, say yes.”

             
She couldn’t look away.  “Yes,” she whispered.

             
Jack nodded, pleased.  “At eleven,” he told her.  He brushed a kiss over her cheek and pressed one into the palm of her hand.  “Good night," he said huskily and stepped back.

             
“Good night,” she replied faintly.  Her palm burned where his lips had touched.  She watched him walk back to the car.  He looked back and waved before driving away.

             
“Oh, boy,” Emma said again.

Chapter 7

              Emma followed the scent of coffee to the kitchen and found Norah at the stove.  Norah glanced around and smiled.

             
“I’m making scrambled eggs.  Do you want some?”

             
Emma poured coffee and took a healthy swallow.  “Sounds good.  I’ll cook if you want,” she offered. 

             
“I can manage the eggs, if you want to make some toast.  How did it go last night?”

             
Emma smiled into her cup.  “It was nice…better than I expected, actually.  After the first few minutes I even forgot to be nervous.”

             
“A success,” Norah decided as she added cheese and dill to the eggs.

             
“Jack’s coming by at eleven.  We’re going to the park.”

             
Norah raised an eyebrow.  “Date two already.  I’m impressed.”

             
“I forgot what it was like, you know.  The fun of going out, of getting to know someone,” she explained as she put bread in the toaster.

             
“So,” Norah sat, “does he make you think about sex?”

             
“Oh God, yes,” Emma blurted out.  “I’ve thought about his yum-yum parts.”

             
Norah choked on a bite of egg.  “Yum-yum parts?” she managed.

             
Emma blushed a little.  “Yeah, you know,” she fluttered her hands around her body.  “Yum-yum…Maybe it’s just a Mississippi thing,” she finished lamely.

             
Norah threw back her head and laughed until tears ran down her face.  “Oh, Emma,” she wheezed, “Oh, God, that’s funny.”

             
“It’s not that funny,” Emma muttered as she buttered her toast.

             
Norah wiped her eyes.  “If things keep going so well maybe you’ll get to see his yum-yum parts soon.”

             
“Oh, shut up,” Emma replied and sent Norah into another round of laughter.

             
At exactly eleven o’clock, Emma opened the door and smiled as Jack’s blue eyes slid over her face. 

             
“I’ve brought along an intruder,” he told her as James stepped into view.

             
“Good morning,” he greeted her.  “When Jack told me he was meeting you I demanded to come along.”

             
“It’s good to see you again,” she said.

             
“The park is only a few blocks from here.  Would you like to walk?” Jack asked.

             
“I would.”  Emma closed the door.  “I want to enjoy the warm weather while we have it.”  She was wearing a beige skirt and yellow sleeveless blouse in homage to the shining sun.  She appreciated the sight of Jack in his khaki trousers and green Polo.

             
“It won’t be much longer before the cold hits.”  Jack took her hand as they began walking.  “And once we’ve finished shooting here we’ll be heading to Falmouth.  Back to outdoor scenes.”

             
“That’ll make Norah happy,” Emma said wryly.  “At least we won’t have to live in trailers there.  That little hotel with the cottages seems so cozy.  I’m glad the owners rented everything out to the studio.”  Jack nodded his agreement.

             
“Let’s get hot dogs from a vendor and see if we

can find an attractive lady.”  James dug into his pocket

for his money clip.

             
“The hot dog sounds good, but I’ve the lady I want right here.”  Jack pulled Emma closer and smiled down at her.

             
“Oh, brother,” James rolled his eyes, but he was grinning as he bit into his hot dog.  “I saw you first,” he said to Emma.

             
Emma laughed.  “You did,” she conceded, “and I’m so glad I made a new friend.”

             
“Always my luck.  I find a girl and Jack steals her away.”

             
James eventually found more friends he wanted to join. He waved goodbye and left with them.  Jack and Emma kept walking.  They skirted a small pond and a group of children playing tag.

             
“Oh, to be so young and carefree again,” he signed dramatically.

             
Emma giggled.  “You know you wouldn’t trade what you got for anything.”

             
“Why, you’re right, of course.”  He picked a daisy and tucked it behind her ear.  “I’ve got you here with me on a sunny day.”  They smiled at each other as he led Emma to a cluster to oaks.  He maneuvered her so that her back was pressed against a tree trunk.  “I fell asleep last night thinking of you,” he told her.