Page 40 of Unbossly Manners

“I’ve been told.”

When we arrived, Kat sat on one of the armchairs flicking through her phone. Jackson was typing on his computer as if they hadn’t just had their tongues in each other’s mouths.

There was a tightness in my throat and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like what it meant, that my feelings for Jackson were growing and we hadn’t even done anything yet.

“What time are you leaving in the morning?” I asked, gathering my iPad and phone.

“The alarm is set for four.” Kat swung her bag on her shoulder. “Why don’t you stay at Jackson’s tonight. You can sleep in Evie’s room there. Otherwise, you’ll be up at the crack of dawn with us.”

“Oh.” I glanced at Jackson. “I don’t think—”

“That works,” Jackson cut in. His head was bent as he typed on his keyboard.

“Perfect,” Kat said. “Then I guess this is goodbye for a month.”

Jackson wrapped Evie in a bear hug and lifted her off the ground. She tried to wiggle out of it, but she was laughing.

Kat put her hand on his arm and lay a peck on his cheek. He mumbled a goodbye, his eyes averted.

Jackson didn’t look up until they disappeared.

“I don’t need to stay at your—”

“Let’s start tonight.” He cut me off, a catch in his voice. He swallowed and when he spoke again his voice was normal. “If that works for you.”

“Sure.” My lips pressed together and I held back a squeal—of delight or fear, I wasn’t sure. I wanted this, but I wondered if Jackson realized he was using me as a balm to soothe the wound on his aching heart.

fifteen

A few hours later I was riding up the West Side Highway on a Citi Bike. The Hudson River was to my left, Jackson on my right. He’d insisted on riding. It was a warm summer evening, and the air from the wind cooled my skin.

I’d resisted at first, but remembered my whole saying yes to scary things goal, and agreed. It didn’t take long for the awesome feeling of freedom to take over. Especially once we got onto the proper bike paths.

“This was a great idea,” I said, a smile plastered on my face. “I feel like a kid.”

“That’s what I love about getting on a bike.” His smile reached his eyes, under his sunglasses.

My mind was eons away from what was going to happen when we arrived at Jackson’s. I had to be eagle-eyed to prevent a collision with the meandering pedestrians, tourists, runners, children, and other cyclists.

Jackson pointed to the left and I followed him off the path to the end of a pier. Across the brown sludgy water of the Hudson was the skyline of New Jersey, the sun setting behind the skyscrapers.

“I come here almost every day after work,” he said. “It centers me and reminds me I’m only one small piece of the puzzle.”

I slid off the seat and straddled the bike. “That doesn’t depress you?”

“It reminds me that my problems aren’t that special. I mean that in the best way. It helps when I get tied up in the minutia of life. This puts things into perspective. And it’s beautiful.”

“That’s really nice, Jackson.”

I turned away from the river and watched the cluster of people at the other end of the pier. Couples strolled hand in hand, groups of teenagers talked loudly over the music playing from their phones, tourists posed for pictures, and parents pushed strollers and ran after toddlers. It was a city pulsing with life.

Jackson stared over the water, contemplatively. Then he pushed off the railing.

“Ready?”

Jackson lived in a new luxury building, all white, glass, and steel. His apartment had a wall of windows overlooking the city, lights from the buildings twinkling as darkness overtook the last bits of sunlight.

It was a bachelor pad. Sterile, minimalist furnishings. Basic black leather couch and chairs, dark wood accent pieces, a few basic pieces of decor. There was nothing unique to Jackson in the place.

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