Page 114 of Lie For Me

‘You let me stand there and say those things and then just…leave. Do you have any idea what it took for me to come to see you tonight?’

She was shaking, her knuckles white on the hand that clutched the blanket to her, her eyes filling with angry tears.

‘You were more interested in the accounts. I came to you to pour my heart out about how I feel. Can you imagine how hard that was to do? But you’d rather talk to Douglas about profits or variances than—’

He didn’t let her finish her sentence. His mouth was on hers, his arms around her, crushing her to him, rough stubble abrading her skin as his lips parted hers and he kissed her deeply. His breath was hot, his tongue searching. He felt her stiffen when he first kissed her, then she tipped her head back and pressed into him. After a moment, he pulled back enough to see her face. Lucy was trying to catch her breath.

‘Let’s go inside,’ he said gruffly, pulling at her wrist. ‘I don’t want to do this out here.’ He nodded at the street.

Jack followed Lucy into the living room. It was just as he had pictured—the squashy sofa, a glass of wine with an open bottle beside it, a stack of books on the table illuminated in lamp light, flowers, just past their best, drooping in a vase on the bookcase. It was home. He felt a pang deep inside him.

Jack took Lucy’s hands.

‘I’m not going to New York.’

Lucy, blanket slipping from her shoulders, stared at him and parroted.

‘You’re not going to New York.’

‘No.’ His Adam’s apple was working, but he held her eyes. ‘Change of plan. I realised it’s not what I want.’

‘Right.’

Lucy paused, and he could see her trying to make this compute in her head.

His thumb was stroking the sides of her hands.

‘And, um, what is it you want?’

‘I’m still selling the business, but I’m not part of the sale any more. The lawyers are redrafting the final terms without me spending a year abroad to hand over.’

Lucy was quiet, a small frown playing across her face. He wished she would say something. Jack tugged her closer.

‘I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch. These past couple of weeks…there has been a lot for me to work out. I don’t mean just the business exactly—though my decision…’ he smiled ruefully, ‘caused some difficulties. There was quite a bit of fallout to work through with the lawyers. And I had to work out what…what was really important to me.’ He cleared his throat. ‘You know, your dad actually, really helped me.’

Lucy looked confused. ‘You talked to my dad?’

Jack shook his head.

‘No, the advice he gave me at the wedding. He suggested that, uh, that selling the business was an opportunity to get clear about what I really want in life. Decide what’s important. But one thing he said really stayed with me. He said,’ Jack hesitated, his eyes dropping for a moment. ‘He said, work will always be there, people won’t.’

Jack’s voice dropped to a whisper as he said the last words.

Lucy squeezed his fingers.

‘It didn’t really hit home for me when he first said it. There was so much to think about. And then I got back here, and I had to sign the contract or,’ he gave a half smile, ‘or not. And I realised then, what would be the point of being in New York if no one…’ He paused. ‘If you…weren’t there to enjoy it with me. I thought about coming back here after a year in the States and finding out that you’d…met someone. Or moved away. Or just created a life without room for me in it. And I realised that seeing if this,’ he gestured between them, ‘could be something was more important than the deal to sell and the time in New York. I knew two weeks ago that I couldn’t go. But it still felt like there was a gap between deciding not to go and figuring out what to do about,’ he hesitated over the word, ‘us.’

Lucy gazed at him, a tiny smile beginning to tug at her eyes. Then she frowned.

‘But you didn’t call me. Or come and see me.’

Jack let out a long breath.

‘I didn’t know if you even wanted to speak to me. I was still working out what exactly I was going to say. I still don’t know what I’m saying, what I’m suggesting we try. I’m not exactly good at this. Then,’ he bent his head and kissed her, ‘you showed up at the office. Looking so sexy and determined to say your piece.’ He grinned. ‘I didn’t know where you were going with your speech, or if I was ready for what this might be, but then after you left tonight, everything just felt so….empty. And I knew I had to come here.’

In response Lucy dug her nails into his hands.

‘So…you’re staying here?’ She hesitated, then, ‘With me?’

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