Nick hung his head.
“She deserves nothing. Think about the good the money from that ring would do for one of your charities.”
“Alright.”
“It will be my pleasure to ask her for it,” Jack said, smiling.
Nick laughed suddenly before answering, “Alright. I’ll admit I hated the idea of having to do it. I’ll work with the movers.”
Jack loved the worried look on Marissa’s face when she finally climbed down the staircase.
If looks could kill, Jack would be dead, judging by the glare she was giving him now as he approached.
“The ring,” he murmured, holding out his hand. “It’s listed as part of Nick’s property, so the proceeds are going to charity.”
“It’s mine,” she said shrilly.
“Hand it over,” Jack growled. “Nick’s my friend, and you screwed around on the wrong guy, Marissa.”
Glaring, she finally gave in, yanking the ring off her finger and throwing it Jack before rushing up the staircase.
Scooping the ring from the floor, Jack laughed.
* * *
Nick’s sister, Shauna was waiting inside Nick’s apartment when Jack and Nick walked inside.
“Come and pick out what you want from the moving truck,” Nick said, leaving the door open wide. “I’ll drop some of it off to be auctioned and the rest will go in storage in Wisconsin.”
“Any trouble?” she asked, looking at Jack.
“Only with getting Marissa to return the engagement ring,” he answered.
Shauna’s eyes went wide, as she covered her mouth with her hand.
She began laughing when she finally got over her initial shock. “I can’t believe Nick had the nerve to ask for it back.”
“I didn’t,” Nick admitted, grimacing. “Jack made it his mission to talk with her about it instead.”
“I’m so glad you didn’t marry her, Nick,” Shauna murmured, following him into the elevator.
“Me too,” Nick admitted.
Jack smiled, helping himself to bottled water from inside the fridge and sitting in front of the television Shauna had been watching.
When the grim forecast for Indonesia and Australia flashed across the weather channel, Jack paused, his bottled water in midair.
Resting the bottle on the end table, Jack pulled out his phone, hitting the speed dial number for Rand.
Ten minutes later, he was no less reassured when Nick and Shauna returned to the apartment.
Nick’s look at him was quizzical. “Is something wrong?”
“The weather forecast for Bali and the surrounding areas looks grim. I just talked with Rand, and at this point, he’d not too concerned. Because of its location, Bali is usually pretty safe. Plus, his house is like a fortress, so he promised that the ladies would be staying with him when the time came.”
“Good,” Nick murmured, frowning. “He’ll keep us informed?”
“Yes. Not a problem, he said.”
Nick shook his head, looking worried.
Shauna stared at Jack first, and then at Nick. “You two are acting awfully secretive. What ladies?”
Nick shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “Just some other tourists we made friends with on the island.”
“Why do I get the feeling that there’s more to it than that?” Shauna said dryly, apparently ready to drop her inquisition.
Jack did more than wait for Rand to call. He checked the forecast numerous times during the following week, even while he was at work. He just couldn’t seem to quit worrying about Janelle. Of course, they weren’t actually together now, although he was sure intending to change that, no matter what her reasons for wanting to remain unattached.
Undoubtedly, it would be the same way he would worry about her when she was away on tour.
If they ever got together, that is.
Jack breathed a sigh of relief at the end of the week when Rand finally managed to get through and call. He’d been worried sick after hearing that worst of the damage in Bali had occurred in the area where Rand’s house was located.
All the ladies were safe, including Janelle.
Who’d helped deliver Kerilyntaryn’s baby.
What a woman, Jack decided, after hearing about that.
But something had apparently happened on the island, and Rand would have to be reassigned quickly because trouble from terrorists had been brewing on the island, and his life could be in danger. Rand would have to figure a way to keep in touch, because it wouldn’t be through the usual channels.
It was sad to think that Ciara and Rand, the couple who’d recognized their love so quickly, would have to be separated for an indefinite period of time.
It made Jack even more determined about getting to know Janelle. There’d been something so special that had developed between them on the island, and time was only making that feeling stronger.
Chapter Eleven
Tireder than when she’d left, Janelle had reported back to base the week after returning from Bali feeling surprisingly good about the part she’d played during the cyclone.
In a few days, she would be returning on tour in Iraq with a crew, working and training Iraqi military members to fly aircraft the U.S. had handed over as part of the U.S. plan for assistance. She had no idea how long she would be there since the tensions overseas were escalating.
Sitting at her desk, she was staring at her open laptop, studying some of the pictures they’d taken on Bali before the cyclone had struck.
Emma had shot a few of her and Nick when they’d been out for dinner, and she sighed, because he was just as good looking as she remembered.
And the way she was looking at him in that picture? It was positively shameful. She wasn’t normally someone who put herself on public display.
But then again, she noticed the expression on Jack’s face, which showed him equally absorbed by her.
And it made her smile.
A notification came up on her
