Susan Mallery - Sweet Trouble

“Sure.”

He ruffled Gabe’s hair then went back out to his car. Jesse unpacked the various bags. He’d bought everything she’d asked him to. The three-foot sub sandwich she’d ordered, the matching paper napkins and cake plates. There were two sprays of flowers from the florist in Woodinville, a small wrapped package that was his mother’s present and a bag full of cheesy birthday banners and party favors.

She set out the latter and had Gabe separate them into piles so they could fill goodie bags. Matt returned with the cake.

They worked together, setting the table, then slicing the sandwich. Matt blew up balloons and hung the banner. Gabe mostly got in the way, but Matt was patient.

Together they loaded the dozen or so goodie bags for all the guests. Matt held them open while Gabe dropped in the silly prizes. Jesse watched them, seeing the similarities in their eyes, the way they moved. Love filled her, for the boy and the man. Then she reminded herself what the man had done and turned away.

Paula and Bill got back at noon. Jesse, Gabe and Matt, joined by neighbors and Paula’s friends, hid in the kitchen, then jumped out, yelling, “Surprise!”

She actually looked startled, then delighted. “A party for me? I haven’t had one in years.” She gave them all a hug before they sat down to lunch.

Afterward, before Paula opened her presents, Bill took Jesse aside.

“How you doing?” he asked.

“Better.”

“Still hurting?”

She shrugged. No one wanted to hear the truth. She didn’t want to live it, but it was impossible to escape.

He put a hand on her arm. “I don’t know if this is the time or not, but I’m going to ask Paula to marry me tonight. When I take her to dinner.”

Jesse laughed. “Seriously? That’s fast.”

He looked both pleased and chagrined. “I knew it was right the second I met her. We’re old enough to know what we want and that’s each other. I talked to Matt about it. Not to ask his permission, exactly, but to let him know my intentions.”

“What did he say?”

“That he was happy for us both.” Bill squeezed her arm. “I’m going to sell the bar. Paula and I have talked about getting a big RV and driving around the country for a couple of years. We’ll come back here to see you and Gabe every couple of months, then settle here permanently when we’re done seeing what we want to see.”

Jesse didn’t want to think about them being gone, then reminded herself they were her friends and of course she wanted them to be happy.

“I told Matt,” Bill continued. “He wants to buy the house and give it to you. So you’ll always have somewhere of your own. Paula and I will get our own place later.”

She didn’t know what to think. “He can’t buy me a house.” She’d thought the bracelet was too much.

“It’s about making things right. He wants to take care of you and Gabe.”

Jesse couldn’t believe it. “He got to you?”

“There’s no getting. He made a mistake. It’s going to be a long time before I trust him with your heart, but that doesn’t mean he can’t try to do the right thing.”

Was it doing the right thing or was it just for show? “I can’t believe in him again,” she whispered. “I just-I need a second.”

She pushed past him and walked outside.

The air was quiet, the temperature warm. It was still summer, but soon the days would shorten and it would be fall. She’d already signed Gabe up for preschool. Time continued to flow, no matter how much she wanted to turn it back.

She heard footsteps behind her, then strong hands settled on her shoulders.

“You all right?” Matt asked.

He was so close, she thought longingly. All she had to do was relax and she could lean on him. Just let him take over and manage her life. The thought was tempting and very foolish.

“Bill told me that he’s going to ask Paula to marry him,” she said.

“You’re not out here because of that. You’re upset about the house.”

She turned to face him. His hands fell to his sides and she desperately wanted them back on her. “You can’t do that. You can’t buy me things and expect it to be okay. It’s not.”

“I want you to be taken care of. My mom will want to sell the house and you need a place to live. It’s not like you’re going to come and live with me.”

No, she wasn’t going to do that. “Matt,” she began.

“I’ll put the house in Gabe’s name, if that will make you happy,” he said, cutting her off. “It can be in a trust fund until he’s twenty-five. I want you to know you always have a place to go.” He cupped her cheek. “I can’t take back what I did, but I’ll do whatever I have to so I can prove myself to you. All I need from you is a chance. You still love me. I’m the father of your child. We belong together, Jesse. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll prove it to you.”

She desperately wanted to believe him, but she couldn’t. She knew that he would get tired of trying to win her and move on.

She turned away, but he grabbed her and pulled her close. Then his mouth was on hers, so hot and sweet she couldn’t help but give in. She closed her eyes as his lips pressed against hers, claiming her, making her want him more than she wanted to breathe. Passion flared, then grew. She trembled with need and hope and finally with despair.

She drew back.

His eyes were dark with fire. His breathing was as fast and ragged as her own.

“You used up all your second chances already,” she whispered. “There’s nothing you can say or do to make me trust you ever again.”

“I won’t give up. I’ve spent the past five years missing you. I did my best to distract myself, but it didn’t work. I love you, Jesse. I’d rather spend the rest of my life trying to change your mind than be with anyone else. I’m not going away. You’d better get used to that.”

She was too surprised by his words to move, so he got to be the one to walk away. She watched him return to the house, then closed her eyes and prayed that he meant everything he said and that she could one day forgive him.

“MATT’S MEETING US TOMORROW morning,” Jesse said as she loaded the last of the dinner dishes in the dishwasher.

Paula stored the leftovers in the refrigerator. “Are you sure?”

“He called earlier and said he’d be there. He said he bought a new digital camcorder, so he can capture the whole event.” He’d also offered to make her a copy so they would both have Gabe’s first day at his new preschool to view in the future.

Paula straightened, then frowned. “But the worldwide launch of his company’s latest game is at eight in the morning. There’s a simultaneous release around the world. They’ve been planning the event for months. It’s been on the news.”

Jesse didn’t know what to say. She’d known there was a new game in the works, but there was always a new game. “Why is this launch so special?”

“It’s the sequel to some game from a few years ago. Apparently it’s a big deal. People have been waiting for months. There are going to be launch parties all over the world and the ones sponsored by his company are being televised to each other. So if you’re at the Seattle party, you can see people in London and Tokyo. According to Business Week, this game is supposed to increase profits at least thirty percent over last year. I can’t believe Matt would miss all that.”

Jesse couldn’t either. “He never mentioned anything to me,” she said slowly. “He’s the president of the company. He should be there for that.”

“I guess he wants to prove a point,” Paula told her. “That family is more important than anything.”

He’d been doing a lot of proving lately, she thought. Showing up exactly on time for his days with Gabe, never returning him a second late. In the past few weeks, Matt had been attentive, caring and friendly, without pushing. There’d been no repeat of the kiss, a fact that should make her happy. She didn’t trust him, right? But she sure missed his kisses, along with other things.

Jesse excused herself and went into her bedroom. Gabe was already in bed, probably dreaming about his first day of preschool. He was excited about starting school, about his teacher and making new friends. She was lucky-he’d always been a social kid, which meant she didn’t have to worry about him not fitting in.

She booted up her computer, then went online and did a search for recent articles on Matt’s company. There were a few press releases about the new game launch and the party. It seemed to be as big a deal as Paula claimed. There were also mentions of a recent stockholder meeting where Matt had arrived late. A few of the stockholders had taken issue with that and complained publicly.

Jesse checked the date, then compared it to her calendar. The afternoon Matt should have been at that meeting, he’d been with her and Gabe, buying their son new shoes for preschool. Now he was missing the launch of his company’s biggest product all year because of Gabe’s first day at school?

She picked up the phone and dialed his number.

“Hello?”

“Are you crazy?” she began. “You can’t keep doing this. You can’t miss important meetings at your company because of me and Gabe. I know we have a schedule for visitation and you want to be a part of things, but you’re being ridiculous. Honestly, Matt, we could have rescheduled shoe shopping. I can’t help the start of preschool, but I can take the camcorder and it will be just like you were there. As for the other stuff, we can always change the schedule. Or do you think I’m such a bitch, I can’t be reasoned with?”

He was quiet for a second before saying, “I don’t think you’re a bitch at all. I’m not doing anything I don’t want to do.”

“You missed your stockholder’s meeting.”

“I was late, there’s a difference.”

“This is your career. Your company. Your life.”

“It’s not my life,” he told her. “Not the part that matters most. I want you and Gabe to know how much you matter to me. There may come a time when I feel comfortable moving things around, but for now, that’s not going to happen.”

Was he insane or just plain stupid? “You have to be at the launch party.”

“I will be. I’ll get there an hour late.”

“Everyone will notice. They’ll write it up in the press.”

“No one who plays my games gives a damn about me being at the launch party.”

He might have a point about that. “You’re making some really bad choices here.”

“Not from my perspective. I’m making the choices I should have made before.”

What was she supposed to say to that? “Okay, but don’t linger tomorrow. You can stay until he’s in his classroom, then take off.”

“I thought parents got to hang around for the first hour or so.”

“They do.”

“Then I’ll be there.”

“You’re a very stubborn man,” she grumbled.

“If you’re saying I don’t give up, you’re right. I don’t. I still miss you, Jess. And I love you. That hasn’t changed.”

She clutched the phone tightly in her hand. Magic words. Words she desperately wanted to hear. But could she believe them? Trust them? Trust him? “Matt-”

“I know,” he said. “You want me to let it go. Only I won’t. I won’t stop telling you how I feel. I want us to be together, as a family. I’ll wait as long as I have to-until you’re willing to give me another chance.”

“And if that never happens?” she asked, her voice a whisper.

“Then I’m going to spend a lot of time missing you. See you in the morning.”

He hung up, leaving her alone in her room, listening to silence and wondering if she was doing the right thing or turning her back on the best offer she’d ever had.

AFTER GABE HAD CHARMED his new teacher and made friends with nearly every kid in his class, Jesse drove to the construction site where she was meeting Nicole so they could review the new bakery’s progress.

In the nearly three months since the fire, the rubble had been cleared, new plans drawn up, permits approved and a foundation poured. Rebuilding had moved at lightning speed, mostly due to the publicity the bakery had received. Every agency had cooperated, the insurance money had flowed freely and now they were only a few months away from a grand opening.

She parked beside a couple of construction trucks, next to Nicole’s luxury SUV. When she got out, she saw both her sisters were there.

“How did it go?” Claire asked. “How was Gabe? Robby starts tomorrow. I don’t know if he’s going to cry, but I think I will.”

“He did better than me,” Jesse admitted. “He just sailed into the classroom and started talking to all the other kids. He doesn’t get that from me. Or Matt. Somewhere in our past is a very chatty, outgoing relative.”

“Eric was only a little clingy,” Nicole said. “I thought Hawk was going to lose it, though.”