Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
HANNAH
A week later
Luke and I had just flown in with some of our friends to Seattle to attend the Broadway showing of Mamma Mia . I was really excited, as I had always loved theater and we didn’t get high-quality Broadway shows in Willow Harbor. But I couldn’t help but think of Jack since he lived there. I’d fully decided to throw all of my energy into my business and my relationship with Luke.
After the first half of the show, we all stepped out into the theater lobby for intermission.
“Oh my gosh, that was amazing!” Jules exclaimed.
I nodded. “I’m in love with the costumes!”
“I’m in love with the singing,” Jules said.
Luke leaned into my ear, brushing his lips against it and sending a chill down my spine. “I’m in love with you.”
I gasped a little as his hand slipped into mine and butterflies took flight in my stomach.
Jules winked at me and stepped away with our friends, Melanie and Chris, leaving Luke and me alone.
We’d said I love you before, hundreds of times, but we were teenagers then.
Luke faced me, taking my chin in his fingers. “I know you might not be ready to say that back yet and that’s okay. But the truth is, Hannah, I never stopped loving you,” he told me as people walked past us.
I blushed at his adorable words as I gazed into his blue eyes. Luke was the typical pretty boy. Messy blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin. He was…perfect. Yet I wasn’t ready to say those words back to him. The layer of hurt he’d placed over my heart when we were younger was still there—faint, but there. I just needed more time and I think he knew that.
“I’m glad you moved back to town,” I told him, squeezing his hand. “So we could start over.”
He nodded, seemingly unfazed by the fact that I hadn’t said I love you back. “Me too. You want something to drink? I’m thirsty,” he asked as we walked past the concession stand where there was a huge line.
“Grab me a bottle of water? I’m going to use the restroom,” I told him.
He leaned in and kissed my cheek. “You got it.”
He stepped into the long line as I maneuvered the crowd in search of the bathroom. I had to lift the hem of my long, blue satin dress so that I didn’t trip over it. There had been no time to hem it, and I’d borrowed it from Jules. She had about two inches taller than me. We’d wanted to dress fancy for the event, and fancy wasn’t in my normal attire, so Jules had delivered.
I turned the corner and smacked into the back of someone.
“Oof.” The wind rushed out of me. “I’m so sorr—” The words died in my throat when the man turned around and I saw that it was Jack.
His mouth opened in surprise, and we just stood there, staring at each other in shock. Jack’s gaze ran the length of my dress as I drank him in as well. He looked so handsome. He wore a full tuxedo, and he had a bit of a beard going on, which I loved. Where Luke was angelic in his looks, Jack was dark and mysterious. And I knew I shouldn’t have been comparing the two—or thinking of how handsome Jack was right now.
A gentleman next to him about his age cleared his throat, snapping us both out of our trance.
Jack swallowed hard. “Hannah?”
“Jack,” I breathed, and it was almost like a prayer on my lips.
Why did my heart hurt to see him? Why did it feel like I wanted to cry? Why did I want to hug him right now and never let go? I was with Luke. These thoughts weren’t right, yet I was having them.
“Hannah, who you bought the restaurant for, Hannah?” his friend asked, and Jack elbowed him in the ribs, which caused me to smirk.
“Restaurant Hannah with two N’s.” I extended my hand to the guy.
“Jason with one S,” he responded, which made me laugh.
“Oh, you’re Jack’s business partner?” I asked.
He nodded. “I am. This guy would be nothing without me,” he joked.
Jack gave Jason a look, and the friend nodded.
“I’m…needed elsewhere. Nice to meet you, Hannah.”
“You too,” I told him.
“So, you’re in Seattle.” Jack shifted nervously on the balls of his feet and put his hands in his pockets. It was just last week that he’d ignored my text about my mom being cancer-free and sent flowers instead.
I nodded. “I would have texted, but you don’t respond anymore anyway.” I hated how that came out, but it was the truth.
He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the motion. “I’ve been busy,” he muttered.
“Me too,” I countered.
I hated this. I hated how awkward things were between us now. I just wanted to go back to India, back to the plane flight when we were laughing and playing cards and carefree.
“It’s good to see you,” he said earnestly, and I saw a little vulnerability in his gaze.
It was good to see him too, but I shouldn’t have been thinking that now that I had a boyfriend.
“I didn’t take you for a fan of theater?” I changed the subject.
Jack shrugged. “Jason dragged me here with clients, and if I’m being totally honest, I expected to be bored out of my mind.”
I smiled. “But?”
He leaned in and lowered his voice. “It’s amazing. I’m buying season tickets.”
I burst into laughter. “Hey, there’s no shame in a manly man liking theater.”
He raised one eyebrow, giving me a half-cocked grin. “So you think I’m a manly man?”
Guilt washed over me. Were we flirting? I hadn’t intended that. I just fell so easily into banter with Jack.
“There you are, babe.” Luke’s voice called from behind me and I froze.
Jack’s gaze went to Luke and then to me, and I watched the moment he realized we were here together. Like together together . The blood drained from his face.
Well, that was going to happen sooner or later. Jack was emotionally unavailable and lived in Seattle, so maybe him finding out I was in a relationship now was for the best. Besides, it wasn’t like he’d ever tried to date me or anything. We were just friends.
“Jack, this is Luke. My…boyfriend.” I cleared my throat.
Luke stepped up beside me, surprised. “Jack, who bought you the restaurant, Jack?” he asked.
“The one and only.” Jack’s face changed again, and I watched as his lips pulled into a pained smile as he reached out and shook Luke’s hand.
“So nice to meet you, man. What you did for Hannah was incredible,” Luke said, shaking his hand as he juggled my water bottle and his own drink.
“Uh, thanks,” Jack said sheepishly.
“So, do you—” Luke started to ask Jack something, but the announcement that intermission was ending in five minutes cut him off.
“Good you see you, Hannah. Nice to meet you, Luke,” Jack said quickly, not even allowing Luke to finish what he had been saying. Then he turned and gave us his back, pushing through the crowd, likely to meet up with Jason.
“Oh…you too!” Luke called after him.
I was slightly embarrassed by how quickly Jack had walked off.
“He’s very busy. Here with work clients,” I explained to Luke.
He just nodded, giving me a small smile.
“I still have to pee. I’ll meet you at our seat. No need to wait for me,” I told him and then went to the bathroom.
The entire time I walked there, my heart felt like a war drum, pounding wildly in my chest.
Why? Why, of all people, did I have to run into Jack Marrow? Right when I’d decided to give Luke and me a fresh start?
Lord, help me, I prayed. Take Jack off my heart if he’s not meant for me.