Page 10 of Jackson
“It is, fantastic food. One of the guys from the bar ownsit.”
We moved to the balcony and sat at a small metal table overlooking thebeach.
“Are you staying here?” Iasked.
He sighed. “For now, but I don’t know what Perri’s plans are. She wants this as a holiday home, I think. There’s an apartment over the bar, but it’s pretty shit at the moment. I might fix thatup.”
Jackson had told me he’d met an older guy, another nomad, who owned the bar. He’d seen some of Jack’s art and wanted him to decorate the inside of the bar. He also wanted Jack to buy in. The trouble was, by walking away from his family, Jackson had also walked away from considerable wealth. His father owned a private bank and was about the biggest arsehole I’d ever had the pleasure ofmeeting.
“Can you affordthat?”
“Doubt it. I’m earning well, but maybe it’s time to put down roots,” he said with alaugh.
“You?Never!”
“I know, but I guess I have to grow up at somepoint.”
He chuckled some more as he drained hiscoffee.
“Any news on the apartment?” heasked.
“There’s a buyer and I’ve accepted their offer, so I guess it’s just all the paperworknow.”
“Where are you goingafter?”
“I have no idea. I’m still processing, shall wesay.”
“Any news fromher.”
I took a deep breath. I had wanted to talk to Jackson about her but when I was readyto.
“She wants money of course. For thechild.”
As much as Dane’s son was an innocent, I couldn’t speak hisname.
“Did you know about her? It appears everyone else did,” Iasked.
He placed his cup on the table and leaned back in his chair. He looked at me andsighed.
“Yes. Although, not for a long time. I guess Dane didn’t trust me as much as I thought hehad.”
“Why didn’t you tellme?”
“How could I? I threatened him that I would. I gave him an ultimatum; tell you himself or I would. I guess I couldn’t bring myself to destroy yourworld.”
“But it got destroyed anyway,” I saidquietly.
Jackson leaned forwards and took one of my hands in his. His thumb ran across my knuckles and I kept my gaze out to sea. I didn’t want to see any pity in his eyes, and I didn’t want him to the see the tears inmine.
I’d found out about her, and my husband’s child, just a month after his death. I believed us to have had the perfect marriage. We worked hard and we holidayed twice a year. We had a nice apartment and great friends, we dined out—all the things a happily married couple did. It was a solicitor that told me. Dane had left a will and the child was mentioned, he was entitled to Dane’s share of our apartment—that cut through me like a knife. Although they weren’t together, the child had been conceived during our marriage. The news had totally shatteredme.
“Will you tell me what you know?” I asked, turning my gaze back tohim.
“Will ithelp?”
“I don’t know, to be honest. I just know my life was a lie for so many years, and I can’t get my head around that. How could someone so close to me dothat?”
“He lovedyou.”
“Not enough to keep his cock in his pants though, did he?” There was a bitter edge to myvoice.
“He was a prick at times. He didn’t know what he had withyou.”
We fell silent for a while. I remembered back to when I’d first met Dane. It had been at a bar and Jackson was with him. They’d known each other from school but were miles apart where their personalities was concerned. Where Dane was everyone’s best friend, Jackson was reserved. One never truly got to know Jack. There was always layer upon layer that was never revealed, and no one was able to peel those back. He’d fascinated me for a long time. But he was the one who was always on my side, the one that backed me up in an argument; the one that collected me from whatever night out I’d been on and Dane had forgotten. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I realised; Jackson had been more of a husband than Dane, at times. He’d become my best friend and notDane’s.
He leaned back in his chair and I missed his touch. I stared down at my hand on thetable.
“Let’s not talk about it anymore. I want to enjoy being here with my best friend.” I gave him a smile, which was returned, although I noticed the smile didn’t quite meet hiseyes.
