“Were you working late?”
“No, I was kicking some butt at the club.”
“Those young whippersnappers thought they could unseat the queen,” Cole teased in his cranky old man voice. This kid had watched too many cartoons.
Jacquie rolled her eyes. “Honestly, I’m not that old.”
“I know, Mom. You’re the living example of a healthy peri-menopausal woman.”
“Thank you very much. I think.”
“Seriously. I’d like it if everyone took such good care of themselves. And I love that you take names in the kickboxing studio at a hot fitness club.”
“I like it there. Lots of good people.” She sat down and kicked off her shoes. “Come on. Tell me about your new classes. How’s that internship going?”
“You promise me first to answer your cell phone faster.”
Jacquie smiled. “But then I’d never get to talk to you on the land line.”
“You should get rid of the land line,” her technology-loving son insisted. “Go mobile. Be free!”
“It’s not about freedom.”
“What then?”
Jacquie twined the cord around her fingers. “The connection is better,” she admitted. “I can hear your voices more clearly.”
There was a beat of silence, then Cole teased her. “Awwwwww,” he said. “You could put that on a greeting card. Call me on the land line so I can hear your voice better.”
Jacquie laughed. “We could. All the moms everywhere would buy one to send to each of their kids and we’d make a fortune, maybe even enough to break you free of your student loans.”
“That’ll be the day,” Cole scoffed. “Seriously, though, Mom, are you okay? As last one to move out, I feel kind of responsible for leaving you alone.”
“You shouldn’t.” Jacquie was stern. “Of course, you have to go to school. You all have to find your places in the world, fall in love, live your dreams and build your futures. It’s the way the world works and I’m glad that you all have your goals and plans.”
“But next week is the anniversary...”
“Do not go there,” Jacquie said, interrupting him. She was dreading the twentieth anniversary of Mitchell’s death enough without anyone reminding her that it was looming closer. She cleared her throat and spoke firmly. “I love you all. I miss you all. And I’m doing just fine.”
“Uh oh, Mom voice,” he teased. “Time to pay attention.”
“You’d better believe it. Now tell me about those classes.”
Cole plunged into the subject, his enthusiasm clear in every word. “Well, the biology class is amazing...” Jacquie leaned back, smiling as she listened to him, feeling blessed that she had such great kids.
It was only natural to wish that Mitchell could see them now. But there was no changing the past. She could change her own future, though, and she was going to do it.
Maybe she’d expected too much from Pierce. Maybe she’d been too direct or told him what she wanted too quickly. Well, she couldn’t change her nature and she wasn’t going to try.
It was his loss. She’d have to review her list of candidates and make another choice.
She had to do better than anything Meesha could plan for her—and that was motivation enough to try, try again.
“Busy?”
To Pierce’s relief, Jacquie was working alone in the offices for Flatiron Five Fitness the next morning. Meesha’s laptop was turned on, though the screensaver was displaying, and her desk was littered with devices. Her pink headphones were there as well but there was no coffee cup. He could guess where she’d gone and knew he wouldn’t have long to make his case.
Jacquie looked up from her screen at his question. He watched her straighten slightly and knew he had work to do. Her expression wasn’t welcoming and her tone was crisp. “Always,” she said. “But they say there’s no rest for the wicked.”
Pierce took a step closer. “I wouldn’t have thought that included you.”
Jacquie turned back to her desk. “Well, there’s a lot you don’t know about me, isn’t there.” It wasn’t a question or an invitation.
He could have taken that as a rebuff, but instead, Pierce chose to see it as a challenge. “And just as much that you don’t know about me.” He moved when Jacquie wasn’t looking and felt her surprise when she glanced up to find him beside her desk. He always forgot that his quiet movement startled some people.
He hated that he’d made a miscalculation at this particular moment.
“Something I can do for you?” she asked, her tone officious and her hazel eyes cool.
He could be just as blunt. “Accept an apology?”
Jacquie spun in her chair to face him, a welcome bit of curiosity in her expression. That was progress. “Why should I? You left with someone else after I...invited you. You stood me up.”
Pierce winced at the truth. “I was surprised. That worked to Farah’s advantage.”
“Farah, your friend’s daughter.” She shook her head, obviously skeptical.
“I knew her, a long time ago.”
“And you couldn’t resist the chance to become reacquainted?”
“She took me off-guard, which is her favorite strategy. I didn’t handle the situation as well as I could have.” It wasn’t easy to admit his mistake but he saw immediately that doing so was the right choice. He had Jacquie’s full attention. “I had to follow Farah to say no to her.” He sighed and knew his tone was rueful. “She probably planned it that way.”
“You seem to know her well.”
“Very well, but not in the way you’re thinking.”
Jacquie visibly bristled. “You don’t know what I’m thinking.”
“Yes, I do. It’s all over your face.” He watched her try to compose her expression, but she’d never manage it. The truth of her reaction was in her eyes, and he liked that. Now that he knew where to look, he was reassured that he’d always know exactly where he stood. Jacquie’s lips were in a tight line, but that curiosity lit her eyes. He still had a chance. “You think the same thing I would think if our roles
