“A blind date,” Jack growled. “How desperate am I?”
Jack could hear Matt’s laugher long after he left the office.
Chapter Eighteen
Not even Em knew that Janelle had arrived in town this afternoon, but she decided to splurge tonight and have dinner at the Dragonfly Pointe Inn. She remembered how much she’d loved the place the one and only time she’d come here to eat.
She’d unpacked in the cute little one-bedroom cabin near the wounded warrior home where she would be staying. But if she was going to be living here at least three months, she wanted to find a place where she’d have privacy and could possibly work out and even swim in the lake when she was finished with rehab.
Janelle had thought about letting Jack know that she would be arriving in town, but truthfully, she felt guilty for not having the nerve to contact him since Christmas. After she’d been hurt, she’d lost her courage for a while, because even though her injury was a flesh wound, it’d had her feeling temporarily insecure.
The bullet had grazed the side of her breast, and she hated the way she looked in the mirror. Sure, she was slated for reconstructive plastic surgery later in the year if she chose to do it. But it was amazing how something like this could make her feel less confident.
She wore a dress tonight instead of her uniform because it made her feel more feminine. She’d even had her hair cut in a salon before leaving Norfolk, just the way Emma had styled it when they’d been in Bali. Maybe she would be brave enough to contact Jack sometime this week.
Janelle had a glass of wine before dinner, and then ordered the special, Fettuccini Alfredo, which ended up being absolutely delicious.
As she sat there with a cup of coffee after dinner, she happened to glance across the room.
And she couldn’t believe her eyes.
It was Jack, walking behind the hostess towards one of the restaurant tables with someone dark haired, exotic and voluptuous, who was apparently his date.
Janelle watched as Jack pulled the chair from under the table, waiting for the woman to be seated before he dropped into the chair across from her.
The woman stood, moving her chair to be near him, running her hand over his arm and reading over his shoulder as he studied the menu.
When she laid her chin on his shoulder, Janelle felt physically ill.
As the waitress approached with the check, Janelle took the folder from her hands giving her a credit card while writing in her signature along with a generous tip.
“Thank you,” the waitress murmured. “Would you like more coffee while you wait for me to return you card?”
“Yes, thank you,” Janelle murmured, distractedly.
She felt devastated. Deep down, she’d been assuming that Jack would be happy to see her. Maybe she’d been taking the connection they’d shared on Bali for granted all along.
A bus boy came over and poured more coffee, and Janelle sat, watching Jack and his date.
When the waitress came back and handed over her card, Janelle smiled. “I think I’ve changed my mind. Could I have another glass of wine? I can just pay cash if it’s easier. I’m not holding up a reservation by sitting here a little longer?”
“No. We’re actually a little slow tonight. I’d be happy to get you more wine. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Thank you,” Janelle answered.
Chapter Nineteen
Jack had been regretting his blind date from the moment he’d gone to pick up Heather at her apartment.
In fact, it was a blind date debacle. She was all over him like an octopus right from the start. Luckily, there weren’t too many people in the restaurant, so Jack tried subtly to lay low.
When she stood and moved her chair closer while they were being served drinks, he waited until after they’d ordered to try and discreetly move his chair away.
He wondered if she behaved like this all the time, or if she was just being selective with him.
At that moment, a couple she apparently knew appeared at the table to say hi, and Jack was able to slide his chair around the table.
“Jack,” she cooed, “this is Lacey and Brian Keegan. We’ve been friends since all of us were kids.
Lacey studied him intently. “You look so familiar, Jack. You must have been here during the summer when you were younger? It’s nice to meet you.”
“I think we might have met when I was hanging out with Matt Stevens. It’s nice to meet you too, Lacey, Brian.”
This was going to be a long night. Apparently, everyone she hung out with was a partier, and she and her family vacationed here every year at their summer house on the lake.
Heather must have made it clear that she wanted to be alone with him, because Lacey and Brian were soon gone.
Jack decided he needed another beer when she moved in closer again, this time attempting to get grabbier with her hands.
“Heather. I’m sure you’re a nice girl, but I don’t think this is going to work,” Jack said, trying to move away.
But just as he was ready to stand, someone came over to the table, deliberately knocking Heather’s drink into her lap.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” the woman said in a syrupy voice. “I was on my way to the rest room and accidentally knocked over your drink. At least there wasn’t too much left in the glass.”
And then Jack looked up and froze.
“Janelle?” he finally exclaimed, getting to his feet while Heather stood and glared.
Jack continued, “How long have you been in town? Why didn’t you write and tell
