told him. “Some of us want to connect.”
“I hope you do. I hope this is everything you want.”
“Why don’t I believe you? What aren’t you saying?”
“That if Andrew was so important to you, you wouldn’t stay away from him for six months.”
She walked to the door. “Who says I have?”
With that, she walked out and closed the door behind her.
It was only a few steps to her room, and she was grateful for the solitary quiet when she entered. After flicking on a few lights, she crossed to the window and stared out at the night sky.
It was a perfect night for viewing the stars, but she wasn’t in the mood. Not even on her brand-new telescope. She hurt too much and it was hard to say why.
Maybe because Jack was right. If Andrew was that important to her, she wouldn’t stay away from him for six months. But she had, and it had been relatively easy. Too easy. If she were really in love with him, wouldn’t she be desperate to be with him?
Finding the engagement ring had shocked her. She hadn’t known what to think about his proposing. She’d been happy, but a part of her had known that it was time to put off the inevitable. That closure with Jack was required.
She’d known about Hunter’s friends coming to stay at the house. She’d taken the consulting job in California, hired on as the caretaker of the house and had waited to confront the man who was holding her back. Once she got her revenge on Jack, she would be fine.
“That’s what’s wrong,” she whispered to herself. “I’m still waiting to punish him. Once Jack is reduced to dust, I’ll be able to give my whole heart to Andrew. It’s just going to be another week or so. Then I’ll be happy.”
Jack spent a restless night. He told himself it was because he’d had coffee too late in the day, but part of the problem was Meri’s words. Her claim that he didn’t connect.
Late the next morning, he saved the files on his computer and opened the top desk drawer in his temporary office. There was an envelope inside, along with a letter.
The letter had been waiting for him the first day he’d arrived. He’d recognized the distinctive handwriting and had known it was from Matt. The battered appliances in the kitchen had been another clue. His friend might be able to program a computer to do heart surgery, but Matt couldn’t do something simple like work an electric can opener.
For some reason, Jack had avoided the letter. Now he opened the envelope and pulled out the single sheet of paper.
Jack-
When I read Ryan’s note that called this place a “love shack,” my first thought was, what a load of BS. But now I think he may have been onto something. He was also right about how wrong we were when we compiled our universal truths about women. Remember those? Yeah? Well, now you can forget ’em. We had no idea.
As for me, here’s what I learned during my month at the cabin: the most important work you’ll ever do has nothing to do with the job. And it’s work you can’t do by yourself. But when you find a partner you can trust and the two of you do that work together, it pays better than any career you could imagine. And the perks? You have no idea…
Have a good month, pal.
Matt.
Jack read the letter again. He’d figured out a long time ago that he didn’t know squat about women. Not that it mattered, as he never got involved. As for Matt and his other friends, sometimes he allowed himself to miss them. To wonder what it would have been like if Hunter hadn’t died. Because Hunter was the one who had held them all together. Without him, they’d gone their separate ways. There were times when he-
He stood and shook his head. Okay, he needed more coffee or something, because there was no way he was spending the rest of the morning in his head.
He went downstairs and poured himself coffee. He could hear Meri and her team talking in the dining room.
“String theory is ruining theoretical physics,” one of the guys said. “Everything has to be defined and explained, which is wasting a lot of time. Sure there’s a why and a how, but if there’s no practical application, then why bother?”
“Because you can’t know the practical application until you understand the theory.”
“It’s not a theory. It’s equations. Compare string theory to something else. Something like-”
They kept on talking, but even thought Jack knew they were probably speaking English, he had no idea what they were saying. He knew string theory had nothing to do with strings and maybe something to do with the universe. The word vibrating was attached to the idea in his head, but whether that meant string theory was about vibrations in the universe or just so above him that it made his teeth hurt, he wasn’t sure.
“All very interesting,” Meri said loudly over the argument. “But it has little to do with the project at hand. Get back to work. All of you.”
There was a little grumbling, but the discussion shifted back to something that sounded a lot like solid rocket fuel. Not that Jack could be sure.
After grabbing his mug, he stepped out onto the deck. Hunter would be proud of Meri. She’d turned into a hell of a woman.
He pulled out his cell phone and hit redial. Bobbi Sue answered on the first ring. “You’ve got to stop calling me,” she told him by way of greeting. “I swear, you’re starting to get on my nerves. We’re all capable here. We can do the job. You’re just bored, and let me tell you, I don’t like being punished for your mood swings.”
He ignored her. “I want you to check out someone Meri’s seeing. Andrew Layman. His address is on file. I want to know everything about him. Apparently it’s gotten serious, and I want to make sure Meri isn’t getting involved with a guy after her money.”
“I swear, Jack, you have got to stop spying on this girl. If you’re so interested, date her yourself. Otherwise get out of her life.”
“I can’t. She’s a wealthy heiress. That makes her a target. Besides, I gave my word.”
“I wish you were here so you could see how unimpressed I am by you giving your word. This just isn’t healthy.” Bobbi Sue sighed. “I’ll do it, but only because it’s my job and, for the most part, I respect you.”
He grinned, knowing Meri would adore his secretary. “Your praise is all that matters.”
“As if I’d believe that. This’ll take a couple of days.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“I hear that. You need to get out. Find a woman. I mean it, Jack. Either get involved with Meri or leave the poor girl alone. You have no right to do this.”
“I have every right.” Meri might not know it, but she needed him. Someone had to keep her safe.
He hung up and returned to the kitchen for more coffee. Meri entered from the dining room.
“Hi. How’s your day going?” she asked as she pushed past him and walked into the pantry. “Have you seen the box of pencils I put in here? Colin insists on fresh pencils when he works. Betina thinks it’s charming, but I have to tell you, his little quirks are a pain in the butt. There was a whole new box. I swear.”
He heard her rummaging around, then she gasped. He stepped to the pantry door and saw her crouched by the bottom shelf.
“What?” he demanded. “Did you hit your head?”
“No,” she whispered and slowly straightened. She held a box in her hand, but it wasn’t pencils. Instead it was a shoe box covered with childish stickers of unicorns and stars and rainbows.
“This is mine,” she breathed. “I haven’t seen it in years. I’d forgotten about it. How did it get here?”
As he didn’t know what “it” was, he only shrugged.
Meri looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. “It’s pictures of Hunter and my mom and all of us.”
She set the box on the counter and opened the top. There were old Polaroid photos of a very young Hunter standing in front of some church. Probably in Europe. He looked about fourteen or fifteen. He had his arm around a much younger Meredith.
“God, I miss him,” Meri whispered. “He was my family.”
Betina walked into the kitchen. “It’s pencils, Meri. You’re supposed to be the smart one. Are you telling me you can’t find a-” Betina stopped. “What happened?” She turned on Jack. “What the hell did you do to her?”
