Reunion for the First Time (9 page)

“Jesus.” Jack leaned hard against the railing and pushed his hand through his hair.

She patted his forearm. “We had an apartment our senior year, and Lizzie stayed there with me that summer. I was getting married to Mick that September, and she didn’t want to go home to an empty house in New Jersey. I think she secretly hoped that Wallace would return, and they would pick up where they left off. He returned all right. Two months later. That roughly coincided with the splashy announcement that he was marrying what turned out to be his first and most expensive wife. Lizzie bolted. That’s when she joined the Peace Corps.”

Jack rubbed his eyes. “Why are you telling me all this, Kay?”

“Because of that kiss I saw you plant on her.”

He turned toward her and contemplated her face. Her penetrating, hazel eyes searched his.

“Because I love her, Jack. Because she has never been with anyone else since graduation eve.” Her eyes hardened with determination. “Because she kissed you back.”

Jack tensed. “You think I’m the knight in shining armor type? Is that what you’re asking me to do? Rescue her?”

Kay smiled. “Yeah, I am. Just for tonight. Rescue her from Wallace. He never deserved her.”

The simple truth. Jack relaxed. “I repeat. Every man in this room is jealous of Mickey Lynch.” He hugged her close. “I’ve got to go cut in on Wally now.”

He didn’t need to. When he and Kay returned to the table, Lizzie and Mick were laughing together. Jack didn’t see Prescott in the vicinity and didn’t ask where he’d gone. Didn’t care. Protective, impressed with this accomplished, complicated woman, he couldn’t understand how any man could turn his back on her without a word. If Beth wanted to dance the rest of the evening, he’d be the only man to whirl her around the floor.

“Hey, Beth.” Jack pulled out a chair for Kay and she plopped down with a satisfied sigh. “Want another drink?”

Beth held up an empty wine goblet. “A glass of merlot, please?”

“Sure. Mick, ready for another beer?”

“I’ll come with you,” Mick volunteered.

****

“I’m having the best time. I’m so glad I let you talk me into coming to the reunion.” Lizzie squeezed Kay’s hand, bright-eyed and animated. “Wallace apologized to me, Kay.”

“That’s good, sweetie.” Kay furrowed her brow.

“He explained that he was so young then, so scared by how intense our love was. He felt hemmed in, so he ran away. He claims he’s regretted it every day since.”

“I’ll bet he has.”

“He asked if he could call me when he comes to Chicago on business trips.”

“Are you going to let him? Honestly, Liz, I thought you would cut Wallace off at the knees at this reunion.”

“I gave him my number.”

Kay blew out air in frustration.

“Don’t worry, Kay. I’m not sure I want to see him again socially. I have to think about it.” Lizzie smoothed the skirt of her dress with her hands, a pleased smile curling her lips. “It feels good to be the one who can say yes or no.”

****

Jack came back with Mick, drinks in hand, and Beth flashed him a wide smile as she accepted her glass of wine.

The evening wound down and the number of guests dwindled, gone to relieve babysitters, to party at more lively bars or to get out of stiff formal clothes and put their feet up at home.

Jack asked Beth for the last dance, and Mick asked his wife. They danced near each other laughing at Kay’s jokes. After the music stopped, Mick shook his hand, and Kay hugged Jack for a long time.

“I’m glad we met, Jack. I hope we’ll see each other again some time,” Kay professed.

Jack kissed Kay’s cheek. “It would be my pleasure. Bye, Mick.”

“Take care of yourself, Jack. And our golf hustler.”

Beth curled near him in the limo and drifted to sleep minutes after the car pulled away. Jack stared out the window and somehow resisted touching the soft woman beside him while mulling the evening over in his mind.

She’s like a sister to Charlie. Hell, that would make her my sister, too.

He’d done a nice woman a favor. Good. She deserved it.

Nothing more going on here. At least for her. This was all about Wally for her.

Damn if that didn’t irk him. Wally had taken her heart and then took off.

Dad, Charlie, Beth.

Jack wagged his head back and forth.

Not me.

She looked groggy as he accompanied her to her door. He took the plastic key card she pulled from her purse and opened the door for her. Turning toward him she stood on her toes, put her arms around his neck and hugged him. Her sweet flowery scent and silky skin drove a spike of desire into his gut.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jack, for everything.”

To disengage and tamp down temptation, he removed her arms from around his neck, stepped back from her and held her hands, his arms outstretched. “You’re welcome, Beth. I enjoyed it. Sleep well.”

“You, too.”

He released her hands and strolled down the hall.

Her footsteps thudded behind him. “Jack, wait.” He turned around and faced her. “The car will be out front at eight a.m. to take us to the airport. The concierge advised me to leave a little early because of all the construction in the city. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“I’m sleeping in. My flight doesn’t leave until Monday evening. Another reason I agreed to come to Boston this weekend is for a business meeting I had scheduled here for Monday morning.”

“Oh. OK.” She stood there looking uncertain.

“So, safe flight, Beth. I hope things work out for you and Wally.”

****

“Right. Thanks.” Suddenly weak, almost sick, Lizzie didn’t want to say goodbye. More than grateful, she genuinely enjoyed Jack’s company and really enjoyed that kiss. “Uh, have a good business meeting. And…a safe flight back,” she said, at a loss to say something more meaningful.

She stepped out of his way and forced out, “Good bye, Jack.”

“Bye, Beth. Take care.”

She backtracked slowly down the hall. When she reached her door, she turned and watched him walk away, her spirits sinking. “Jack!”

He stopped and faced her. “Yeah.”

“Do you think we could get together in Chicago for coffee or something? To thank you for helping me?”

His face lit with a slow grin. “Yeah. That would be nice. And I owe you a dinner. I’ll call you when I get back.”

“Great. See ya.” Lizzie closed the door and leaned against it. She kicked her shoes off into the room and sighed.

Chapter Eight

Lizzie piled freshly folded clothes on the bed. Amused, she watched Marty burrow under the neat stacks and knock them on the floor.

“You monkey.” Lizzie scratched the dog behind the ears. “I know you don’t want me to go again, but I have to.”

She had overworked her little stackable washer and drier by laundering every practical piece of clothing she owned. A three-week stint in Niger involved plenty of packing smarts.

T-shirts and jeans went directly into the open suitcase on the floor. She saved space in her backpack for her cameras. Lizzie hated packing, appreciating the irony that her beloved career involved it so much. She would much rather concentrate on readying her photo equipment than worrying about what she’d wear.

Honored and excited that UNICEF had contacted her about the project, she looked forward to bringing international attention to famished children in crisis. Her heart wrenched at the thought of the suffering due to drought and locust infestations. If she could help the little ones she would do anything, but thousands of children were starving.

Zipping the suitcase closed, she dragged it to the front door and plucked her ringing cell phone off the kitchen counter with her free hand.

“Hello, Elizabeth.”

A burst of elation bloomed near her heart when she recognized Wallace’s clipped voice.

“Wallace what a nice surprise.” She wasn’t sure when she gave him her number that he was serious about calling.

“Elizabeth. We didn’t have enough time together at the reunion. I have a way to remedy that. I will be in Chicago on business next weekend and would like to take you out to dinner. How does Saturday at seven sound?”

“It sounds perfect, Wallace, but I’m sorry I can’t accept the invitation. I won’t be in Chicago next weekend.”

“Why not? We agreed to see each other.”

She frowned at his reprimanding tone. Did he honestly think she’d put her life on hold waiting for him to come to town?
“I’m leaving for Africa tomorrow morning. I’ll be gone for at least three weeks.”

“That is way too long. Well. That is unacceptable.”

Of course he expected her to put her life on hold. She always had before when they were together.
Well that was then.
“
Excuse
me?”

“I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I was hoping to see you sooner. You are quite the world traveler.”

Her pulse slowed some at his much more
acceptable
tone. “Yes, I guess I am. I’ve traveled a lot in my work. I’m gone more than I’m home lately. I leave for Niger tomorrow morning and have a stopover in Boston. Then I’m gone for the duration.”

“A stopover in Boston? How long is your stop over?”

“I have to check my ticket, but if I remember correctly, I’ll be at Logan for about four hours arriving around noon. I made plans—”

“Perfect.” Her mouth hung open as he cut her off, and still he wouldn’t let her get a word in. “Meet me in the baggage claim area. I will take care of everything. I look forward to seeing you again Elizabeth.”

She stared at the phone. Did he ask her or did he order her?

“Uh…” The dial tone rang in her ear.

Lizzie hung up the phone and clapped a hand against her forehead.
Are you kidding me?
She couldn’t decide if she was more irritated at him for blatantly taking her acceptance for granted or at herself for being eager to see him again despite it all.

Shaking off her ambiguous feelings, she went to her closet. She had to rethink her travel outfit. Loose sweats and a comfortable hoodie wouldn’t cut it for a meeting with Wallace. And Kay would give her grief when she cancelled their lunch date.

****

The travel gods smiled on Lizzie the next day. Her plane touched down in Boston and taxied to the gate a full twenty minutes ahead of schedule. Butterflies danced in her stomach as she grabbed her backpack from the overhead compartment. The notion that she and Wallace would be alone for the first time in ten years filled her with trepidation.

Lizzie didn’t know him at all. She had changed so much in the years since they had been together. How had he changed? Would they still have anything common? Did they ever have anything in common? Questions preoccupied her as she followed the crowd to baggage claim.

Then, she saw him. He wore dark wash jeans and a white button down shirt, his arms full of yellow roses. Her favorite. He remembered. So extravagant, too. She could only enjoy them for the few hours before her next flight. And he’d bought them for her anyway.

“Elizabeth. Wonderful. You are early.” He kissed her cheek.

“Oh, Wallace, how beautiful.” She sighed and burrowed her nose in the huge arrangement of flowers, inhaling their sweet aroma. “Thank you for remembering.”

Grinning at him, she wished the smile he returned warmed his eyes. Delight at his sentimentality extinguished, replaced by self-doubt.
What am I doing with him?
Her stomach churned and her palms went clammy.

He hugged her, his hands on her backpack, and crushed the flowers between their chests. The awkward embrace ended. He loomed taller in her memory, just average now.

“Come.” He turned and walked away.

A shimmer of resentment passed through her at his implied expectation that she would follow, obedient. She double-stepped to keep up.

“We don’t have much time and I don’t want to waste it here in the airport. How was your flight?” He spoke without turning back to her.

Disoriented and trailing him through the glass automatic doors outside into the choke of bus fumes, she darted in between taxis and airport pick-ups following his back.

He stopped by a sleek, stretch limo with darkened windows, and she questioned him with a glance.

“I wanted to be able to spend every minute with you so I ordered this car. I didn’t want to have to concentrate on driving or finding a parking space.”

“Well, that’s very nice of you, Wallace. I’m impressed.”

He donned a pair of designer sunglasses and swung the car door open for her. “And well you should be.”

She almost laughed at his joke, but realized in time that he was serious. Vaguely disappointed, she settled into the back of the car.

“It was fate that you had this layover,” he mentioned when they were on their way to whatever destination he had planned.

Fate? Maybe. Originally, she had planned to have a fun lunch and maybe a glass or two of wine with Kay, but she had cancelled after his call. Still a sore point with Kay. Did Lizzie let him virtually demand this meeting without considering her plans because she suspected fate at work?

The car glided to the curb near the bank of the Charles River and stopped. Wallace jumped out and headed behind the car. The driver opened the door for Lizzie.

Wallace took a blanket out of the trunk and draped it over his arm. He grabbed the handle of a huge picnic basket and offered her his free hand. She placed her hand lightly in his, and they walked toward the river. Wanting their linked hands to connect her to the only man she had ever loved, she squeezed his hand harder. No reassuring pressure from him to provide her that elusive bond she thought she’d had with him.

The sun, almost directly overhead in a cloudless sky, warmed her despite the cool breeze that blew off the water and riffs of chills emanating from this frosty man who seemed intent on controlling, or maybe manipulating their time together.

Wallace shook the plaid flannel blanket and set it down on a level patch of grass. He sat on it, plopped the basket down between his splayed legs and patted the blanket next to him. Good thing she had worn pants, that dress she was thinking about would have been ridiculous about now.