He laughed. “I wasn’t sure what it was at first, but when I realized it was sea glass, I knew you’d love it.” I smiled curiously at the look on his face. He looked proud of himself. “And I don’t think you’re a nerd. I think you’re amazingly talented.”
I was quiet, processing his words and the enormity of the gift. To me, this wasn’t just a piece of sea glass. To me, it meant Jack really got me. Did he realize that? I wasn’t sure. “Thank you.” I said, closing my hand around the glass.
Jack nodded once.
I turned back to the view outside before confiding my piece of news. “Guess what? Jazz took that chandelier I made to Faith’s boutique yesterday. It sold. In one day.” I couldn’t keep the incredulity out of my voice, and it sounded even crazier now that I’d said it out loud.
“Seriously? That’s fantastic, Keri Ann. Congratulations!” He turned me around. His huge grin was infectious. “It was gorgeous, and I didn’t even see it finished. I’m not surprised. You should have told me, we could have celebrated.”
“We did, anyway, didn’t we?” I grinned back at him stupidly and cocked an eyebrow. He laughed, kissing me with minty lips and gathering me in a tight hug. “Yeah, I guess we did.”
*
I was due to pick Jack up in about twenty minutes. The two kayaks were in the back of the truck ready to go. Once I got out of the shower and toweled off, I texted Jazz a not-so-cryptic message.
Me: Thank you for the small package addition to the back pack ...
The phone pinged back immediately. I laughed.
Jazz: OMG, OMG, OMG. You okay?
Me: More than ok! We’re going kayaking, I’ll chat with you later. Just ... thank you.
Jazz: xxx
*
When I neared Jack’s house a few minutes later, I had to stop to allow a black executive sedan from an airport car service pull out of Jack’s driveway. A weird feeling flipped over in my gut as I waited for it to pass, nodding to the suited driver. I fingered my phone for a second wondering if I should call Jack. It could have just been a delivery but I had a feeling it was a person. The owners of the house, perhaps? His agent? Katie?
I took a deep breath and turned into the driveway. Perhaps the car had only been turning around. I climbed out and headed up the stairs. Jack had told me to come straight inside when I got back, but I knocked just in case. I heard voices inside, and then Jack flung open the door. His face was grim, and he hauled me inside.
“I’m sorry, Keri Ann. I didn’t know she was coming.”
“What?” I stumbled forward into the house and faced my worst nightmare. Jack’s firm grip on my hand didn’t detract from the impact of Audrey Lane, dressed casually in jeans and a white t-shirt, her long, glossy black hair swung over one shoulder. She was beautiful. I swallowed hard against the bile threatening to come up and glanced back at Jack with confusion. Why had he pulled me in here? I wanted to be as far away from this awful realization of my worst fears as fast and as soon as possible. I took a step back, trying to untangle my hand from Jack’s.
“Auds,” I heard Jack’s voice from far away, ”This is Keri Ann. Keri Ann, this is Audrey Lane.”
“Carry-Anne? How southern.” Audrey’s voice was soft like honey and way too familiar from her movies. “This yours?” She dangled my pink cashmere scarf on a finger, and then flicked it toward me.
“Don’t be a bitch, Audrey.” Jack’s voice lowered dangerously. He quickly picked it up and handed it to me.
“Why, Jack? How much does she mean to you? You’ve known her, what, a few days?”
How did she make it sound so trite and sordid? I ground my teeth but tried to remember she was fighting to save the man she loved. Wait, she’d cheated on him.
She turned her gaze to me and her eyes grew frosty. “Look, Carry Anne, I’m sure it seemed really special and everything, but just because—”
“At least he didn’t cheat on you,” I snapped and made to turn. I had had enough of her snide attitude, and I didn’t want to stick around any longer while they sorted this out.
Her brittle laugh grated my nerves. “Is that what he told you? Hilarious. That’s all he did to all his girlfriends. He was cheating on someone when he got together with me. The tabloids don’t always have it wrong, you know.”
A vague memory of Jack Eversea, the playboy, tickled my mind. No. I didn’t care, it wasn’t the Jack I knew.
“Besides,” she went on, “he really hasn’t broken up with me, so I guess that makes you the trashy piece on the side. Waitress, right? So cliché.”
“Fuck off,” Jack hissed at her. For a moment, Audrey looked shocked, but she recovered quickly and appraised us both.
“Oh God, Jack. You haven’t slept with her, have you?” She rolled her eyes like he was an errant little boy. And just like that I wanted to be sick. It sounded like they’d had this situation before. I knew she was a good actress, but surely not this good.
I swallowed. “Um, Jack ... I ... I better go. Let you two sort this out.”
“No,” Jack snarled, gripping my hand tighter. “Stay.”