His delivery was two hours late, his sisters had not yet shown up in the office and Jack was feeling like royal shit. He’d handled things badly the night before. Worse than badly. And he was feeling every bit the jackass Jenna and Amrys were always teasing him about being.
The sound of a truck out back had him pushing away from his desk to peer out the window. It was about damn time. “You guys forget where you were going this morning?” he barked at the two delivery guys who were rolling the back door up on the refrigerated truck. Racks and stacks of beef were still swaying from the sudden stop the truck had made at the delivery entrance of Steely J’s.
“Quitcher naggin’, granny,” Gerry, the burly driver barked back. “The butcher has a new girlfriend. An affliction I can assume you’re familiar with.”
Grunting, Jack opened up the industrial walk-in refrigerator for the guys to unload their cargo. He refused to think of Laurel at the mention of girlfriend, though she hadn’t been far from his mind since he’d left her the night before. He certainly didn’t intend on her getting in the way of his business. Steely J’s was far too important to let a woman--any woman--ruin it.
Once the truck was emptied into the fridge and the delivery men had left, Jack took the invoice and inventory sheet sheet upstairs to the girls’ office. Jenna was just pulling her chair out to sit. Her hair was still damp and he couldn’t help but notice the steaming cup of coffee and the white bakery bag on her desk.
“Nice of you to grace us with your presence,” he griped and tossed the paperwork on her desk.
“You are lucky I haven’t had to have anyone break your legs yet. I'm just chomping at the bit. What the hell did you do to Laurel, anyway? She almost glaciered my head when I first walked in.”
Shit. “Nothing.”
His sister dug around in the white bag and pulled out a chocolate éclair. His mouth watered as he eyed it. Pausing, she shook her head. “Don’t even bother, brother.”
“Since when did you get to be so mean?” he grumped and heaved his aching body onto Amrys’ desk chair. “And where is your sister?”
“Our sister is probably still showering with her new boyfriend.”
Recalling Amrys’ dress from the night before and her flirtation with Conner, Jack lifted an eyebrow. Judging from Jenna’s lack of ire, she must not know with whom their sister was showering. Or maybe she did, he reconsidered, eyeing the white bakery bag. It looked half full, still.
“New boyfriend?” he feigned ignorance.
“Gerard something. I apparently interrupted them this morning when I called her to find out what the crap you were talking about. Which, by the way, I still don’t have any answers. Other than that you might be playing for the other team now AND you did something to piss Laurel off.”
“This is too much for me to take in on an empty stomach,” he reached for the bag. Jenna snatched it away with a growl.
“Not on your life, brother. These are mine. If you want donuts, man up and face Laurel.”
“Was she really that angry?”
“Like I said--Glacial. I’m just now thawing out. I offered to have your legs broken and she’s considering it. What did you do? And who is Mama’s new roommate? And why were you really on my couch this morning?”
Not liking the direction the conversations was going, “I’ve got to get back downstairs,” he hoisted himself up and headed for the stairs only to be met with Amrys’ raised eyebrow and another bakery bag.
“You just couldn’t leave her alone, could you? I hope you know this means you’ll never have pastry again,” she said, by way of greeting.
“Good morning to you, too, Sunshine. You’re late.”
“Dock it from my paycheck. Oh, that’s right. I’m part owner too, so suck it, brother.”
“You two make me dizzy,” he mumbled and pushed past her to head back downstairs.
Not wanting to hear what else they might have to say about him, Jack took the stairs two at a time. It was bad enough that he felt like a jerk already. He sure didn’t need his two nosey sisters driving that point home.
Once back in his office, the phone on his desk mocked him. He should call her. Apologize. But what could he say that would make any difference? That he’d been so intent on not getting her into bed that he’d intentionally pissed her off? Because that would go over so well, he mused.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he shook his head. No. Best to just leave things alone. She couldn’t stay mad at him forever but even if she did, perhaps it was for the best. Laurel presented the kind of temptation Jack didn’t want. Things like marriage. And kids. Laurel was a lot of things but a one night stand wasn’t one of them. And that’s all Jack would--no, could give her.
“Grrrr,” he growled as he picked up the phone only to shove inside the desk drawer so it would stop mocking him. “Dammit,” he muttered, dragging it back out. He’d half dialed her number before slamming the handset back into the cradle.
Shoving his hands through his hair, he paced restlessly around his office. He was doing exactly what he’d sworn just minutes before that he wouldn’t do. He was letting a woman interfere with his work. He’d also let her drive him to the comfort of his sister’s home. And she’d deprived him of hours of sleep.
This was ending. Now.
Locking up behind him, Jack called his sisters from his cell to let them know he was running an errand. Bypassing his truck, Jack strode down the sidewalk toward the bakery. He needed to burn the excess energy before he got there and he exploded, taking her out with him.
The bell over the door jangled as he entered the bakery and walked straight into a crowd of hungry folks. Well crap. He’d been so preoccupied with his bungle that he’d clear forgotten that mornings were her busiest time at the bakery. He couldn’t see behind the counter to know if she was even back there, still.
Several people called out to him in greeting and he forced a smile, hoping that they didn’t notice as he searched for Laurel amidst them all. He spotted Clay, the college kid she’d hired to help out in the mornings, but no Laurel. And dammit if the line wasn’t moving slower than a snail’s pace. Someone needed to light a fire under that kid’s ass.
“Hey Jack,” Gray, one of the Blackston’s older cowhands greeted him with a hearty slap on the back. “You lookin’ for your mom?”
Taking a break from searching for a glimpse of Laurel, Jacky eyed the older man. “Should I be?”
Gray’s eyes twinkled a bit before he shrugged. “Not sure yet. If it makes you feel any better, Aiden’s got us keepin’ a close eye on things. Dax makes one wrong move and he’s a dead man.”
Sighing inwardly, Jack nodded. He’d been so bent out of shape over the way things had ended with Laurel he’d clean forgotten about the situation with his mother. Dag-gum stupid town.
“Thanks, man. But I don’t think it’s going to be an issue for much longer. My sisters and I are on it.”
“I’m sure your dad is, too,” Gray winked. “Hell of a woman, Miss Vicky.”
Grimacing, Jack agreed, “Yeah, she sure is. Speaking of women, do you know if Laurel’s working this morning?”
Gray chuckled under his breath and shook his head. “She was till you walked in. See ya ‘round, Jack.”
Well shit.
