"This is Mayor Greenwell's son, Caleb," I explained. "We're here to pick out a cake for an upcoming fundraiser."
Judith nodded and went to get a small tray of samples before leading Caleb and me over to a table near the front of the room. "You let me know if you need any help," she said, flashing us a smile before walking off to greet another customer.
Caleb spent the next few minutes testing each sample. Each one smelled more delicious than the last, but I wasn't in the mood for baked goods. My stomach was still in knots from the previous nights events. The mere thought of consuming something so sweet made me want to rush to the nearest restroom to vomit up the last of the liquor in my system.
"Alright," I spoke up, pulling the Greenwell file from my purse. "I know you said you liked the red velvet one the best, but it looks like your father wants kosher everything, so we'll have to get Judith to substitute a few ingredients if that's the one you decide to go with."
Caleb laughed. "That's my dad for you," he said, shaking his head. "There are few things he cares about more than keeping his Jewish sponsors happy. Of course, that's not to say he won't trash talk them behind their backs like he does all the others … "
"Trust me, I get it," I told him. "I've been working with your father for quite some time now."
I continued filling out the order sheet Judith had given me, but I could feel his eyes on me all the while. A full minute passed without either one of us saying anything before he slid the folder away from me and flipped it shut. "I have a confession," he admitted. "I'm not just here on business. I was actually wondering if you'd be my date."
"Your date?" I questioned, failing to mask my confusion.
"To the fundraiser," Caleb clarified. He gave me a cocky smile and kept his dark eyes steadied on mine. "I figure any woman capable of putting up with my dad's crap without shaking in her stilettos is one worth getting to know a little better."
It wasn't often that I was rendered speechless, but now was one of the few times that I was. I'd interacted with many wealthy men over the years, but none of them had ever approached me with this level of candor before.
"Well?" Caleb pressed. "What do you say?"
Given the fact that I'd made the decision to swear off men, I started to tell him that I couldn't, but the bell above the entrance dinged before I could. I looked up to see who was there and sighed when I saw Jack making his way towards us. The man was like a bench warrant. I couldn't outrun him to save my life.
"I have to go," I told Caleb, rushing to gather up my things. "I don't mean to be rude...I just...I have to meet with another client."
"That's cool," Caleb said, glancing down at his Rolex. "I should get going anyway. Just do me a favor and think about my offer. You never know-you might have fun."
Caleb leaned in to brush a kiss against my cheek before sliding on his sunglasses and sauntering out of the building. I watched him go through the front windows, ignoring Jack when he sat down across from me and let out a low whistle. "What are you doing here?" I questioned when he wouldn't stop staring at me, still refusing to directly meet his gaze. "Shouldn't you be off at a Lamaze class or something?"
Jack snorted. "That your boyfriend?" he asked instead of responding, nodding at the door.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "What's it to you?"
"Nothing. I just think you can do a hell of a lot better."
"Better?" I challenged, keeping my voice low so as not to draw an audience. "What, you mean like you, the guy who sleeps around on his pregnant fiancée?"
"Oh don't act all high and mighty like you weren't a completely willing participant," Jack shot back. "Besides, it's like I told you on the phone. It's not what you think."
"Sure it isn't."
Jack didn't say anything. Instead he leaned forward and brushed his thumb across my cheek, causing me to tense up beneath his touch.
What the hell?
"Just an eyelash," Jack said, dropping his hand back down to his side before I could do him bodily harm. "You know what they say about old habits … "
I rolled my eyes at him and reached for my phone when I felt it vibrate in my purse. "Chantel?" a deep voice questioned as soon as I answered.
I recognized it right away.
"Caleb?" I frowned and glanced over at Jack, whose expression immediately darkened. "Uh, do you mind if I ask how you got this number?"
"That's not important," Caleb said with all the authority of someone I'd known for years. "I'm calling because something just occurred to me."
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Caleb continued. "We should go on a pre-date before the fundraiser. That way you can have some sense of what you're getting yourself into. How does tonight sound?"
Sweet baby Jesus.
This man was anything if not bold.
"Tonight?" I repeated, looking over at Jack for a second time. He was staring out the window in an attempt at looking distracted, but I could that he was listening to every word. "I don't know..."
"Come on," Caleb insisted. "It'll be a good time. I promise."
I sighed and was just about to give in when Jack snatched the phone from me. "She's not interested," he said, keeping his eyes steadied on mine.
"Jack!" I shrieked. I searched the room for Judith, but she was nowhere to be found. We we're more or less alone.
"Oh I'm sorry, you weren't actually considering going on a date with Doogie Howser there, were you?" Jack said. "You were drowning. I saved you. You should be thanking me."
"Thanking you?" I gave him a look of disbelief and grabbed my phone from him before pacing for the door, but he blocked my path before I could escape through it. "You're unbelievable," I said through gritted teeth. "What gives you the right to dictate what I do? It's been ten years! Your fiancée is pregnant! I'm planning your wedding! My personal life is none of your-"
"I'm not in love with her," Jack cut in, speaking firmly. "And she's not in love with me, but we hooked up, once, and now here we are."
"Oh come on," I said, stepping back. "You can't be serious. This isn't the 1940's. Having a kid with someone doesn't require a marriage certificate."
"You don't understand." Jack let out an exasperated sigh and pulled at his roots as he began to pace. "Lauren's father isn't the type of person you upset. He's old fashioned. He threatened to disown her and withdrawal all of his involvement in my campaign if we don't go through with this."
Jack looked up at me with tired eyes, but I refused to grace him with a reaction. "I have to go," I said, ignoring his pleas for me to wait as I escaped through the door.
At the end of the day, it didn't matter why he was getting married. All that mattered was that he was, and I wasn't about to by his dirty little secret.
Not again.
~ CHAPTER TEN ~
I was on my balcony taking in the sunset when I heard someone making their way up my front walkway, followed by a heavy bang and a groan. Immediately on guard, I rushed out to see who it was and inhaled a sharp breath when I found Jack crouching on my front steps inspecting a bloody elbow.
"Tripped," he slurred, holding up his hand to indicate that he was fine.
I sighed and went in to get my first aid kit before coming back out to join him on the porch. "You should really be more careful," I said as I nursed his wound. "We wouldn't want you getting any more fucked up than you already are, now would we?"
Jack failed to pick up on my sarcasm. "I am not fucked up," he slurred, stumbling over each syllable with all the difficulty of a toddler who was just learning to speak. "It's the cobblestone that did it."
"Uh-huh." I smirked and slapped a Band-Aid on his elbow. "So I'm guessing Seth cut you off?"
Jack shook his head and pulled a small bottle of whiskey from his jacket pocket, which he'd never bothered to remove from the brown paper bag it came in. I tried to snatch it from him before another drop could touch his lips, but he tightened his grip on it and bore his bloodshot eyes deep into my own to assert his control over the situation. "I'm sorry," he whispered after a moment, loosening his hold on it. "I know I shouldn't have come here...I just..."