“What’s what?”
“That look on your face like somebody kicked you in the nuts.” Ben chuckled. “That’s the look I had in the pictures from when I proposed to Sarah and waited for her to say yes.” He stilled. Then he obviously got it. “Holy shit.” Ben stared at his best friend, dropping more adult words under his breath. “April?”
Jack nodded.
“You didn’t.”
Unfortunately… “I did.”
“Hot damn.” Ben clapped his hands and let out a whoop. “Sarah’s going to be so fuckin’ happy, you don’t even know.” A smile stretched over his mouth. “This is the best news I’ve had since—”
“She’s not…” Jack’s shoulders slumped. “There’s no future for us. She’s still reeling from the divorce. ”
She wasn’t ready for a future. Probably would never be ready for one with Jack. His job was to read the room and go from there. In April’s case, she needed lots of time to heal from the betrayal of her asshole ex. He’d arrived too soon, held her off too long. The state of his heart was his fault only.
“Since when does Jack Gibson not go out and get what he wants?” Ben asked, forehead scrunched. “Unless…” Then, because he was Ben, and he was a bright guy, he got it. “She said no.”
“We didn’t get that far.” He hadn’t given her a chance to say no. “What we had was temporary. She clarified that’s all she wanted.”
Then she’d practically shoved him out the door.
“You should talk to Sarah.” Ben firmed his jaw. “Sarah always has ideas. I know she’s going to have ideas aboutthis.” Ben was already grabbing his cell and typing a message.
Jack didn’t stop him. He hoped he could join his buddy and his family for dinner. After weeks of a house full of noise, he didn’t want to spend another night alone in his apartment with his brand new Crock-Pot. It cooked way too slowly.
He preferred April’s terminator version.
“It’s done, man.” Jack stood. “I’m happy for her.” He gestured to the buffering Web TV app. “She deserves the best.”
“Good thing she’s got you, huh?” Ben asked, eyebrows raised. His cell chimed.
“Given her history, I understand why she’s got trust issues.” He sighed and pulled on his suit jacket. “What’s best for April does not include me.”
“Wait to make that decision until we loop Sarah in on this.” His phone chimed again. Then again. And again.
It sounded like Sarah was well and truly looped in.
That changed nothing. Or the fact he’d tripped over his own heart and fallen face first in love with April. Maybe that’s what love was? A trip wire placed where a guy didn’t expect it. Too bad for him, he tripped in the wrong place.
Jack’s fingertips traced his cufflinks. Perhaps he should’ve told April before he left instead of Rachel. But he had to tell someone. Nah. He couldn’t put that on April. The time had come for him to accept that she wasn’t his. Wouldn’t be his. Couldn’t be his.
“Can I beg dinner at your house tonight?” Jack asked, swallowing any regret that threatened to breach the walls of his heart.
“You know it.” Ben’s expression crumpled. “Talk to me, Jack.”
Jack toyed with the end of his pen, then set it back on his desk. “If you could tell Sarah I’m not interested in any more setups—”
“She knows,” Ben said, full friend, not boss. “Judging by the number of messages she’s sending—” His phone chimed again. “She’s already got some thoughts.”
“Probably none of those, either.” Jack grabbed his briefcase.
Ben followed him to the door. “You’re so into that woman, you might as well check your bachelor card with Carrie at reception.”
Jack gave a subtle headshake. He may have found his someone, but it didn’t matter.
Ben pointed to the now-blank screen. “What I just saw? She’s looking for more. Give her some time to sort that out.”
Jack would give her all the time in the world if it was his to give, but it wasn’t. So he decided that he’d focus on his work and let that be enough. Work had always been enough.
