2 #2
After texting furiously till two a.m., I know a little more about him.
He’s from Maine. And get this . . . he came here on a sailboat.
He made a killing in finance but didn’t like the person he was becoming, so a few months ago, he decided to step away and take some time to find himself.
His boat is currently getting repairs at the Monterey Yacht Club, and he thought he’d check out Big Sur while he waits for the work to be done.
I still don’t know exactly what he looks like, but it hardly matters. He has a beautiful soul.
Rap, rap. A determined knock on the door. That must be Jack.
“Come in,” I say, trying to not sound too excited.
The door opens, but it’s Brandon, not Jack.
He appears as surprised as I feel. I had completely forgotten how hurt I was by him last night.
“What happened?” He rushes over to the couch. “Are you sick? Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, I just sprained my ankle. Why are you still here? I thought you had to leave early.”
“Change of plans,” Brandon says a little self-consciously. “We’re leaving in just a few minutes. I just wanted to see you . . .” He puts his hands in his pockets. “Annie . . .”
There’s another rap on the door.
“Are you expecting someone?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I feel myself blushing all over. “I am.”
“Oh . . . okay . . .” Brandon crosses the room to get the door.
“Hi! Uh, is Annie here?” I can hear Jack’s voice, but from where I’m lounging on the couch, I can’t see him. I am dying to know what he looks like in the daylight “Are you her dad?”
“No, I’m not her dad.” Brandon says as sharply as I’ve ever heard him speak to anyone. “And if you knew Annie at all, you’d know that Mr. Greenwood is no longer living.”
“My bad! So sorry!” I can hear Jack step into the house, but Brandon’s wall of a back blocks the view.
“What a way to start,” Jack says. “My foot is already in my mouth. And I wanted to make a good impression.” Brandon steps aside, and I get my first proper look at Jack Willoughby.
I can’t help it; I laugh hysterically. I can’t stop laughing.
Both Jack and Brandon stare at me like I’ve lost it. I may have. I must have. This can’t be real life.
After our late-night texting session, all I wanted, all I needed to be half-in-love with this man was for him to have average looks. He could have a weak chin and a monobrow, and he’d still be the most captivating man I’d ever met. But Jack Willoughby is—well . . . in a word . . . gorgeous.
His shaggy dark brown hair is artistically rumpled as if styled by the wind whipping across the moors, and his face is striking with a sturdy jawline and sharp cheekbones.
He looks like the soundtrack from my favorite period drama should be playing in the background wherever he goes.
And if that isn’t enough, he has the slightest dimple—just a little dent in his cheek that peeps out whenever he smiles.
It gives him a little bit of a roguish air.
Just looking at him, my heart breaks a little.
For his part, Jack appears as stunned as I feel.
“You’re even more beautiful in the light,” he says. “I suspected as much when I saw you last night. But . . . .you’re absolutely incandescent.”
“Ahem.” Brandon clears his throat, and I realize with some chagrin that he’s been watching all of this. He looks as cheery as a prison guard.
Jack turns and takes a long look at Brandon, who folds his arms and stares back. I feel like I’m watching a wildlife show where two bucks are about to fight for the female. This female is not impressed. Especially with Brandon—he has no business acting territorial about me.
“How exactly do you know Annie?” he asks Jack.
“She fell in the river last night, and I pulled her out.”
“Is that how you hurt your ankle?” Brandon asks, his voice strained with concern.
“Yes, but don’t worry. My ankle is fine.”
“Are you going to see a doctor?” he asks. “I’ll take you.”
“I thought you said you needed to get home right away.”
“I can change my plans. Pepper would love to skip school.”
“No worries,” Jack says, sitting down on the ottoman next me. “I can take you. I have all day.”
“Are you here on vacation?” Brandon asks.
“I’m on sabbatical,” says Jack.
“So you’re a professor?”
“Not exactly, I worked in finance until I decided to get out of it all before I lost my soul. You know how that goes.”
“I don’t,” Brandon says bluntly, his expression thunderous.
“So, Brandon, do you need something? It’s always a treat to see you . . .” I say in a bright, light voice. “But it seems like you stopped by for a specific reason . . .”
“Oh yeah . . . about that . . . I . . .” He looks around the room as if searching for an answer.
He’s acting so weird. “I . . . um . . . my mom told me. Well . . . one of her best friends is principal at a private school, and they need to hire a temporary English teacher while the current one goes on maternity leave this fall. It would just be short-term, but if you’d like, my mom could put in a good word for you. ”
“Really? Oh yes! That would be amazing. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“Great!” He breaks into half a smile. “I’ll text you more info.”
“Where’s this job?” Jack asks.
“Redwood City,” Brandon says to me as if I had asked the question, not Jack.
“That’s perfect—it’s not too far away,” I say. “Thanks, I think I’d love that.”
“No problem. Sure you don’t need me to drive you to urgent care or the doctor?”
“No, I’m fine, thank you. My ankle feels much better than last night. I think I’ll be walking on it soon.”
Brandon nods.
“Okay. And look, I’m sorry I didn’t go with your friends last night,” he says looking truly apologetic.
“Nah, you were kind of right about it being a recipe for disaster.”
He nods distractedly and walks himself out. Watching him go, I feel a bit uneasy, like I handled that all wrong.
***
“Fess up, Annie,” Jack says with a wicked gleam in his eye. “Are you sure there’s nothing going on between you and that guy?” Brandon left just a few minutes before, and Jack has made himself at home, rummaging through the kitchen and bringing back a breakfast of birthday cake and coffee.
“Absolutely nothing,” I say around a delicious bite. “He’s just protective of me, like an older brother.”
“How much older than you is he?”
“Seven years.”
“Really? I’d guess much older.”
“I suppose he’s lived a lot of life for thirty-four. His wife died when his daughter was just a baby.”
“Wow! Tough luck. No wonder he’s going gray before his time.”
“Brandon is not going gray.“ I sound a bit more defensive than I intended.
Pushing aside any thoughts of Brandon. I playfully pat his cheek.
“And not everyone can have your beautiful, boyish face.” Jack snatches my hand and holds it for a minute.
I watch as our fingers intertwine. This guy knows what he wants.
“You’ve got frosting right there.” He points to the corner of my mouth.
“Should I get that for you?” I nod, knowing full well that he plans to use his lips to clean up that frosting.
It hasn’t even been a full day since he pulled me from the river, but I am so ready for this kiss.
“Yes, please.” I lean in and he kisses me, and it is just as delicious as I hoped it would be.