At the telling comment, and much as I wanted to ask why, now wasn’t the time. “I don’t renege after I’ve given my word. I never do, unless it’s something I cannot control.”
“What is it?”
“A few things, actually. First, I don’t share. I mean that, Jack—”
Grim laughter escaped him. “Good, because I nearly killed Calum for coming after you.”
I blinked, startled. I hadn’t realized that his feelings for me back then were real. Okay, then. “Your grandfather offered me a job.”
He sighed and rubbed his unshaven jaw, then nodded. “I know. He told me he was going to.”
“I haven’t given him an answer yet. So, if we’re together, I can’t take the position your grandfather offered me…” Darn, I needed a summer job. “No matter, I’ll speak to Jude for full-time waitressing at the bar—”
“No,” he growled. “If Pops wants you as his companion, and as long as you are happy doing that, then fine.”
Man, not to work in a bar again? In a dangerous area? I bit my lip for a second. I didn’t know why I was hesitating, it wasn’t like I would be working for Jack. Right?
Breathing a little easier, I nodded. “Okay. And the other thing is…you can’t tell Nigel about us just yet.”
His eyebrows pulled low. “Why?”
“Because we need time to make sure this is what we truly want before we say anything.”
He stared at me for a second then gave a terse nod. “I know whatIwant. But whenever you’re ready, we’ll tell him then.”
“And last—” I breathed in deeply. “I’ll stay here for the summer…” Because if this thing between Jack and I didn’t work out, I couldn’t remain as Nigel’s companion either.
“You’re already overthinking things, looking for weaknesses. Don’t.” Jack grasped my hand, his expression stern. “I agree to your terms. Anything else?”
I shook my head. “Oh, wait. Yes. I don’t want my sister and Max to know until we…well, I guess until we tell Nigel.”
“Too late, Max already knows how I feel.”
“You-you told him?” I choked out in shock.
“No. He confronted me last night at your home,thenI told him. He’s my friend, Ray. He knows me well enough to see the change in me. But if you’re concerned, I don’t think he’ll say anything to your sister.”
Jack was right. If Max had said something, Ila would have already confronted me. “Okay, that’s it.”
“Good. Now, my turn.”
Warily, I bit my lip and waited.
“I have just one. You have any doubts about anything, you talk to me first. Don’t run off.”
I exhaled a relieved breath. “Okay.”
His grip tightened on mine, and we continued down the cemented slope, my mind roiling at what had just occurred—what I had agreed to. And as we stepped onto the damp, rocky surface, I cautiously eyed the ten-foot drop. “You still going swimming?”
“Yeah. It usually helps me settle. But at present, I just want to be with you. You can swim, right?”
“Mm-hmm,” I murmured, still peering at the drop. “Jack, will Nigel be okay?”
“Yeah. He worries far too much. But I’ll make surethatnever occurs again.”
At his harsh tone, I frowned. Just what had happened?
“I’m going down.” Jack leaped past me, and I shrieked, my heart nearly crashing against my ribs. And like a darn cat, he agilely landed in a crouch on the damp sand of the small, private beach that I was sure flooded during high tide. He rose to his full height and looked up at me with a warm grin that speared my chest.
