Jack smiles tightly, and Melanie takes his unspoken hint. She pats him on the arm. “Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your brunch. I’ll call you about Hurst. Just think about it. Nice to meet you,” she says to me, smiling. She’s not openly hostile. Not super friendly either. I suppose she doesn’t feel she needs to be. Jack’s a player. She’s probably used to seeing him with lots of different women.
He takes his seat opposite me again and sighs.
“Did the dog have a place setting, do you think?”
“Knowing Melanie, he probably did.”
“How do you know her?” I ask.
He shrugs. “How do any of us know anyone? She’s always been in my parents’ circle.” His mood has shifted, and he’s turned quite gloomy.
“Does she upset you?”
He pulls in a breath. “No, that’s not it.” He reaches for my hand across the table. “I suppose I was just mentally pulled back to my responsibilities here in New York. And I’d rather be all about you.”
I smile. Jack’s charming and it’s a really nice thing to say. But it’s also not realistic. The two of us can’t survive in a bubble, shutting out the rest of the world. Life doesn’t work like that.
“Jack Alden?”
A shrill voice comes from behind Jack, and he closes his eyes in a long blink. I glance up, and a woman is looking between me and him, a huge grin on her face. She’s about my age. Maybe a little younger. And she is beautiful. Her glossy brown hair is up in a ponytail and her face doesn’t look overly made up. She’s got a hint of lip gloss and some blush, but if you didn’t look too carefully, she could pass for just being super-healthy or maybe having just finished a light jog.
“Excuse me,” Jack mumbles to me, and he stands as the woman gets to our table. “Pippa. How lovely to see you.” He greets her with a kiss on the cheek.
She glances at me, obviously expecting an introduction.
“This is my girlfriend, Iris Wilde.”
Pippa’s smile falters, just as mine does.
Girlfriend? We hadn’t discussed being each other’s… I mean, we haven’t discussed anything about labels. But Jack didn’t introduce me to Melanie as his girlfriend. What’s changed?
“How wonderful to meet you, Iris,” Pippa says. “Are you from New York?”
I don’t know much about New York society, but I’ve gathered enough from my limited encounters that she’s not just asking about the geographic location of my birth.
“Colorado,” I say.
“Fantastic.” Her smile widens, like she’s trying to make sure she doesn’t show what she’s feeling. “Jack, we must grab a drink sometime. I can get you caught up on all the gossip.”
“Any plans for today?” I ask her. I may not have known Jack long, but I know him well enough to understand that he doesn’t want to get caught up on gossip. Maybe a drink with Pippa isn’t out of the question, but gossip? It’s really not how Jack rides. Is it?
“Just brunch with a girlfriend and then some shopping. What are your plans? Are you in New York long?”
“We’re both going back to Colorado this afternoon,” Jack answers.
Pippa lets out a half laugh. “Really, Jack. I never had you down for being outdoorsy.” He just nods simply. “Anyway,” Pippa says. “I can see Charlotte, so I must go. So lovely to meet you, Iris. And, Jack—let’s catch up properly.”
She waves and heads over to the other side of the restaurant.
Jack sits, and I can’t help wonder how long it will be until we’re interrupted again.
“Seems like New York is a small town,” I say, grinning at him.
“I never thought about it, but I guess it is in a way. In lots of ways, actually. I went to school with Pippa’s brother.”
“Did you use to date?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No.” He pauses. “But…”
