Sunday, September 28
Jenna hadn’t slept well at all on Saturday night. Jackson’s comment had played through her mind on endless loop. It was frustrating to not know him well enough to read his face. She had no way to know whether or not he was serious or joking, though she did know she’d be disappointed if he wasn’t interested…
She hoped that it hadn’t been a joke as she got ready to head over to her sister’s house for dinner. Jenna was putting the last bow on the present for her niece when she heard a knock on her door. As expected, Jackson was on the other side, but with an especially frilly looking gift bag.
“What’s with the bag?” she asked nodding toward his hand.
“I felt strange showing up to a birthday party empty-handed, so I picked up something that should go with what you got yesterday.”
Jenna smiled warmly at him. “That was very thoughtful, but unnecessary. Her birthday isn’t until later this week. Besides, Lana is one of the least materialistic children I’ve ever met, which is surprising given her parents.” She saw the inquisitive look on Jackson’s face and added, “You’ll understand once we get there. I just need to sign the card and I’ll be ready to go.”
She could feel Jackson’s eyes on her as she bent down to sign and seal the card. Excited waves of heat chased the shivers down her spine. If just his eyes could do that to her then what could his…
“Am I dressed okay?”
Jenna glanced up at him. Looked good to her. He was wearing dark beige khakis and a black golf shirt. In her periwinkle sundress and sandals, she must have appeared a little dressier to him.
“You’re fine. I would be going over in a pair of cutoff shorts if it weren’t for Lana. She thinks that, and I quote, ‘girls should wear pretty things like dresses and skirts for as long as the weather doesn’t make your legs cold.’ I like to humor her. I think I’m the only one who takes her seriously.”
“That’s nice of you,” Jackson commented. “Do we need to stop and get Trista on the way?”
“No. She and Blaine are meeting us there. Okay, I’m ready.”
Twenty minutes later, they pulled into the driveway at the Whitman home. Once the car was off, Jenna stopped Jackson from opening the door by placing her hand on his shoulder.
“I want you to know how nice it is that you came here with me tonight.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Jenna. I enjoy spending time with you.”
“You do?”
A lazy smile strolled across his mouth as equally unhurried fingers moved to caress her cheek. There they were again, heat and shivers. She was either attracted to the man or she was coming down with an early case of the flu. But when he had that look in his eyes, he could be a carrier of ebola and she would happily fall victim to that entire host of ailments with a contented smile on her face.
His lips parted and she felt the tip of her tongue move to wet her lips on instinct, mesmerized by the twinkling in those crystal sky eyes and intoxicated by the tickle of lingering fingers. Her breath shivered through her throat and the single word escaped to cover or to inquire. “Jackson?” Though she knew on some vague plane of understanding she’d previously asked a question of him, the only answer she now sought was without words.
Before Jenna could get an answer to her question – either question – a squeal of excitement could be heard from the front door of the house.
“Aunt Jenna’s here everybody!” They both abruptly turned from one another and watched as an almost-five-year-old Lana Whitman ran toward the car with her raven black ponytail bouncing behind her. Jenna got out of the car just in time to scoop her niece up with a hug. She was always amazed by Lana whenever she saw her. She was the image of her father, yet she had all of Elaine’s grace and daintiness. Jenna sometimes even thought that she saw a little bit of herself at that age in her.
“Aunt Jenna, did you see the necklace that Miss Trista gave me?” the child asked, pulling a silver heart away from her throat for all to see.
“That’s very pretty, Lana. Did you thank Miss Trista for it?”
“Yes, silly goose. I always do.” Lana glanced over at Jackson and started to giggle. When she spoke her voice was an excited whisper. “Aunt Jenna, is he your boyfriend?”
Jenna laughed when Lana started make kissing noises. “No, Lana, this is my friend, Jackson.”
On cue, Jackson knelt down to her level. Jenna wasn’t surprised by his response when Lana threw her arms around him in a big hug. He had been nothing but polite to everyone she introduced him to so far, but his hug went beyond politeness. She could tell he enjoyed being around children. Here’s hoping he didn’t have any.
“What can I call you?”
Jackson looked up at Jenna, confusion in his eyes before he spoke. “You can call me Jackson.”
Lana shook her head, causing her ponytail to whip around and hit her on either cheek. “No. My mom doesn’t like it when I call grown-ups by their first names. She says its misrespectful.”
Jenna knew that the word her niece was trying to repeat was ‘disrespectful’, but she didn’t correct her. She got enough of that from her parents. Luckily, Jackson took his cue from her and said, “We’ll think of something for you to call me later. Should we go inside now, Lana?”
“Yes. Can I have a piggyback ride?”
“Hop on.”
Jenna felt her heart melt into a slow pool of mush as she watched her niece throw her arms around his neck. She watched as the little girl whispered something into his ear and started to giggle. Jackson looked back and winked at Jenna before he answered, “Yes, I do.” Something else was whispered in his ear and his response was the same.
Jenna’s curiosity was piqued. “What are you two whispering about over there?”
“Nothing, Aunt Jenna.”
Jackson grinned. “Yeah, nothing, Aunt Jenna.”
Once they were in the house, Lana jumped down and ran into the kitchen to help her mother. Jenna was dying to know what had been said, but her brother-in-law walked into the room before she could speak. She closed the door behind them as the two men exchanged pleasantries.
It was well known in the family that Jenna was not Daniel Whitman’s biggest fan, but she had to admit to herself each time she saw him that he was certainly handsome. As a teenager, Jenna remembered having the biggest crush on him, however it was one she got over after coming to live with him and her sister. He had a nasty temper that turned those jovial green eyes into dark, sinister orbs. While he never so much as laid a finger on her, she had grown to fear him during her last year of school. He settled for nothing short of perfection out of every person who was to be associated with him.
Lana was no exception.
“Dinner’s ready everybody!” Lana called from the dining room.
How much trouble would she get into for that faux pas, Jenna wondered as she followed the others.
© 2009, Sydney Katt. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use of content will result in dragon attacks.
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Talk to Me