An Irresistible Bachelor Jessica Bird

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Probably because she was remembering their brief passing, too.
Callie awkwardly returned the gesture, shooting a glance at Jack. He met her eyes and
shook his head as if he regretted the situation she'd been put in.
"I wish I could say I was pleased to meet you," Blair Said, with more honesty than
hostility. "This has been a disappointment, as you can imagine."
Callie didn't know how to respond, and as she looked away, her eyes flickered down to
the diamond. It had a diameter the size of a nickel.
"I think I'll just go upstairs," she murmured.
"That's not necessary," Blair said. "Jack and I were just making our good-bye official."
She picked up a Vuitton handbag and nodded stiffly at Callie. Then she looked at Jack
and said, "Take care of yourself. I know you always do."
"I'll walk you to the door"
"That's not necessary. Actually, I'd prefer you didn't." She paused on her way out of the
room, glancing at Callie. "Be careful, darling. He's a wonderful man on many fronts, so there's a
big hole to fill when he leaves."
Callie looked away, thinking the woman was undoubtedly right.
The sound of the front door being opened and closed was followed by a long silence.
She shifted her eyes to Jack. His head was down and he was gripping the edge of the
countertop.
"Are you okay? " she asked.
His chest rose and fell. "Yeah."
She waited for him to say something more. When he didn't, she murmured, "You want to
hold off on dinner?"
He looked up. "Maybe. I don't know that I'd be good company right now."
Her heart skipped a beat as she wondered whether he was having second thoughts. But
maybe it was just the awkwardness of Blair showing up. "I understand."
He came over and kissed her briefly. "Thank you."
After he left, she glanced over at the ring and tried to imagine wearing the thing. She
couldn't picture it on her finger.
Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. He certainly hadn't mentioned marriage to her.
She groaned. Marriage? They'd made love three times and already she was thinking about
altars? She had to be out of her mind. Weekend escapes were one thing. And even then, she
might have been pushing it a little.
She forced herself to consider how long they'd known each other and didn't like the
answer. It was a matter of weeks, not months. They had a long, long way to go before she should
be thinking more than a couple days ahead.
Jack went into his study and tried to pretend that settling in with the bourbon was not
becoming a routine. After a couple of swallows, he pushed the glass and the decanter away,
feeling too much like his father. What he wanted was a little peace, not a coping mechanism with
nasty consequences.
But when his mother appeared in the doorway, he reached for the glass again. She was
wearing a formal dress and a lot of pearls and he took the outfit as a good sign she was leaving.
Which couldn't happen fast enough for him considering the displeasure on her face.
"Where did Blair run off to? And why was this," she held up the diamond, "in the
kitchen?"
Damn it, he should have pocketed the ring when he'd had the chance.
"The engagement is off."
"Whatever for?" she demanded.
"That's none of your business."
Mercedes began shaking her
He refilled his glass. "I can assure you, being with Callie is no sacrifice for me. At all."
His mother's face tightened. "Maybe in the privacy of your own home. But what about in
the outside world? You need someone who understands the kind of life you lead. Blair can
support you "
"And you think Callie can't? My lifestyle isn't rocket science. I see the same five hundred
people, at the same parties, year after year. I could do it with my eyes closed and so could
anyone with half a brain."
"That's a considerable simplification and you know it. Listen to me, Jack, I know how
hard it was for your father and me "
Jack didn't bother to keep the boredom out of his voice. "My father worshipped you and
you've had a great time playing grande dame for the past forty years. So don't try and pretend it
was all a chore, okay?"
She took a deep breath. "There's no reason to talk to me like that."
"Was there anything else you had to say, Mother?" As soon as the words came out, he
regretted the invitation. Of course there was going to be more.
"Jack, you simply cannot do this. Especially if you are going to run for governor." As his
eyebrows lifted, she explained, "Gray Bennett's mother called and told me that he's been here in
Boston, meeting with you. It's obvious what you're planning."
"Ah, the Smith College alumni network at its best."
Mercedes came up to the desk with her particular brand of urgency, clearly prepared to
force her will on him. Even though she'd never swayed him, she was always willing to try.
Man, his father hadn't stood a chance once she'd picked him out of the crowd, Jack
thought.
"You know I've always hoped you'd run," she said, "and not just at the state level. Can't
you see what elected office would do for you? The power it would give you? The respect? Don't
you want all that?"
"I already have power so a lot of people respect me," he said dryly. "And I have a feeling
that you're quite interested in being the mother of the governor, aren't you? But you're not
impressing me with your logic. I fail to see how marrying Blair when I don't love her would land
me in the governor's seat any more than being with Callie would prevent it."
The tone of his mother's voice hardened. "Don't think your love life isn't going to play a
role in the election. God knows, your past is going to be hard enough to live down. You shouldn't
compound the problem by losing someone like Blair just because you want to sleep with a
member of the lower classes."
"That's enough," he said sharply, bringing the glass down hard on the desk.
His mother was not deterred.
"Jackson, I cannot let you make a mistake like this. There are ways of fixing these
things."
He narrowed his eyes on her. "It's rather noble of you to try and save me from myself, but
bear this in mind. If you want to keep living here, you will back the hell off and stay out of my
life. Do we have an understanding?"
Her thin brows shot up into her forehead.
"But you must see that it can never work between you and that... Callie," she said,
gesturing aimlessly with a jeweled hand.
"I'm sorry, didn't we just agree you wouldn't interfere? Or are you moving?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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