Always for You:Jack(40)

His plans made, he stared out the window and wished like hell he'd never  met Jack McShane and his family. He'd miss them when he was gone, and  he wouldn't even be able to say goodbye before he left.

-

The evening was warm and sunny, but Caitlyn suspected she would have  enjoyed a stroll along the beach with Jack regardless of what the  weather was like. The two of them had gone out for pizza on the spur of  the moment after she'd finished Ricky's lesson for the day. She'd felt a  little guilty taking off with Jack without inviting the rest of his  family along, but only a little.

Maybe Tino had picked up on that, though, because he made a point of  challenging Ricky to an evening of computer games. Something about the  kid having kicked his ass earlier and Tino demanding a chance to even  the score. She'd made a point of thanking him while she'd waited for  Jack to change out of his work clothes.

Jack's deep voice rumbled near her ear. "What are you thinking about so hard?"

Caitlyn brushed her hair back from her face. "I was thinking about a handsome man and how much I like him."

He tightened his arm around her waist. "Oh, really? Anyone I know?"

The smug look on Jack's face made it clear who he thought she was  talking about. So sad to burst his balloon. "Yeah, I was thinking about  Tino."

Yep, he took the bait. "Seriously? You think that scrawny jerk is handsome?"

"Who wouldn't? That dark, wavy hair, those caramel-brown eyes, and a  smile that just promises a woman that he"-she paused and took a deep  breath, letting it back out slowly for effect as she fanned herself with  her hand-"really knows his way around a dance floor."

"Real nice, Caitlyn." Jack tried to look much put upon, but the twinkle  in his eyes said otherwise. "Why were you thinking about my much shorter  brother?"

She felt obliged to point out the truth. "He's only a fraction of an inch shorter, if that."

"But it's an important fraction of an inch. Poor guy, it's hard being the runt of the litter."

Rather than encourage him to continue to pick on Tino when the man  wasn't there to defend himself, she turned the conversation back to the  original subject. "I like that your brother treats Ricky like a member  of the family. I also think he might have picked up on the fact I was  feeling a little guilty taking off with you for the evening and not  inviting the kid along for pizza, too. Tino immediately challenged Ricky  to an evening of computer games and other manly pursuits."

"Okay, I'll concede that point. It was nice of him. However, I'm still better looking."

"And I'll concede that point." Caitlyn spun to face Jack directly and  kissed him. "I happen to have a thing for men with auburn hair and green  eyes."

He ran his hand over his head. "Auburn, huh? I've always just called it brown."

"Call it whatever color you want. It looks good on you." She tugged on a  short lock that hung down over his forehead. "I also like that you're  growing it out a little."

"That's good to know. After ten years in the army, it feels strange to  wear it even this long. Whenever I look in the mirror, my first reaction  is that I need to get it trimmed to regulation length."

They started walking again. "Do you miss it a lot? The army, I mean."

She appreciated the fact that Jack didn't answer right away, instead  giving the matter some thought before answering rather than just  offering up some glib comment. "Yeah, I do miss it. I had planned to  make it my career, to stay in at least another ten years, maybe even  twenty. I was good at what I did, and our country needs men with my  particular skill set."

As he spoke, he guided them over to one of the big logs that were strewn  along the beach. They sat down and stared across the water toward the  islands in the Sound and the snowcapped Olympic Mountains in the  distance. "I liked the sense of purpose the military gave me as well as  the structure and control it provided."

Then, to lighten the moment, he grinned just a little and added, "Not to mention how good I look in a uniform."                       
       
           



       

"I've seen the pictures in your mom's living room. You did look  amazing." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I love how proud  she is of you and your brothers."

"All three of us know that the luckiest day in each of our lives was the one where she and Joe decided we were worth saving."

That comment, however true it might have been, made her heart hurt. What  kind of people would ever make a man like Jack doubt his self-worth?  "You do know that Marlene feels the same way about the three of you, and  so did Joe. You, Tino, and Mikhail aren't just some kids they got paid a  little to watch over for a while. You became their sons, the same as if  they'd given birth to the three of you themselves."

Jack kept his gaze pointed toward the expanse of water in front of them. "Like I said, my luckiest day."

Finally, he glanced toward her. "You haven't said much about your family."

That was true enough. "My folks are both retired. Mom was a teacher,  too. My dad was a mechanical engineer. Now they split their time between  here and Arizona."

"Any siblings?"

"Just one. An older brother named Jeremy. He's an accountant and has  never married. He came close a couple of years ago, but things didn't  work out. I've been thinking the two of you would get along great. He's a  huge sports fan, so you'd have that much in common."

"I'd like to meet them sometime."

"That's mighty brave of you."

Caitlyn meant it as a joke, but Jack didn't take it that way. "Is there a reason you don't want them to meet me?"

"Oh, no, not at all. If I was thinking anyone needed protecting, it was  you. My dad is pretty easygoing for the most part, but Mom can be a holy  terror when she wants something."

"And what does she want?"

Might as well hit him with the hard truth. "She wants me married again.  Mom is afraid that I'll never give marriage another chance after the  disaster my first one turned out to be. That I won't trust my judgment  when it comes to men."

If Jack could share some hard truths, so could she. "Josh was both  handsome and charming, at least at first. But the longer we were  married, the more of a total jerk he turned out to be. He took great  pleasure in belittling everything I ever did. According to him, I  couldn't dress right without his advice, I didn't keep the house clean  enough, I couldn't cook as well as his mother, and on and on. After a  while, I started to believe him."

Enough of that. Even to her own ears, she sounded whiny and pathetic.  "It got to the point I hardly recognized myself in the mirror anymore.  One day, I realized I needed out if I was going to survive. Josh would  tell you that he's the one who filed for divorce, but I'd already been  in touch with an attorney to do the same thing. Since then, I finished  college, found a career that I'm proud of, and built a life for myself  that is satisfying."

She waited to see how Jack would react. By that point, he was sitting,  leaning forward, and resting his elbows on his knees. Finally, he made a  disgusted noise. "I swear, some men are just hardwired to be total  assholes. You're better off without him and were smart enough to figure  that out. Look at everything you've managed to accomplish on your own."

Then he gave her a thoughtful look. "Have you told your folks that you're dating someone? That someone being me, of course."

She winced. "Not yet. I'm supposed to have dinner with them this week,  and I thought I'd mention it … mention you to them then. Jack, it's not  that I don't want them to meet you. I wanted to see how things went  between us first before throwing them into the mix."

To her surprise, he grinned. "Boy, I get that. My mom is really jonesing  for one of us to get married and have a bunch of grandbabies for her to  spoil."

He sat upright and shook his head. "I know she's already made quilts as a  present for each of our yet-to-be-named brides. Worse yet, I wouldn't  put it past her to already have a stash of baby quilts that she doesn't  want us to know about."

The image of Jack holding a tiny redheaded baby wrapped up in one of  Marlene's beautiful quilts stabbed Caitlyn in the heart. She fought  against the grief that sometimes still managed to knock her sideways if  she wasn't careful.

Needing an anchor against the emotions that threatened to buffet her  like the wind that was stirring up whitecaps out on Puget Sound, she  took Jack's big hand in hers, entwining their fingers.

"So, my suggestion is that I'll tell my folks about you and set up an  opportunity for you to meet them if you want to. However, we don't let  my mom and your mom cross paths anytime soon."