"You're just going to leave?" Jack growled from behind her. "You're not even going to consider the position? It's a great fucking offer, Grace."
Grace ignored Jack and spoke to Rachel. "No, I haven't made a decision, but even if I decline the position I believe I have a friend who will fit the bill nicely. I wouldn't do you wrong, Rachel, this guy is top-notch. He's probably a better choice than me to be honest. I've been working in investments since college. He has far more experience in corporate finance. You might actually want to have a look at his resume now. You might find you'd rather work with him. There wouldn't be any hard feelings if that were the case."
Actually Grace thought it would suit her just fine if they chose to work with Luke. It would take this painful decision out of her hands. She could go back to New York and work until she found a new position. She could bury all of these painful emotions Jack had unearthed.
"We're not looking at any other goddamned resumes! Grace, stop ignoring me!" Jack barked and twisted her entire seat around so she faced him. "We need to talk." He grabbed her hand and pulled her off of her chair.
"Hey, back off, man!" Will protested, getting between Grace and Jack. Jack was forced to release her hand. "The lady doesn't want to talk to you."
Rachel moved in to defuse the situation. "Jack, I need to see you outside, now, please."
Jack didn't move. He and Will stood toe to toe, a couple of alpha males waiting for the other to blink. Jack's hands were balled into fists again. Will looked defiant but relaxed.
"Look at that," said Tony. "It's Grace's turn again." Tony pulled her out of the fray and gently pushed her toward the stage. She looked over her shoulder to see the two men still staring each other down.
"What the fuck is wrong with you, Jack?" Rachel looked ready to punch Jack in the face herself.
Grace stepped up to the side of the stage and her stomach flipped. She'd selected a song that she believed she could sing well on her own, but it had a whole new meaning with Jack in the audience. She swallowed hard. Jack had indeed ruined this evening for her. As soon as she finished her song she was leaving. It was very likely she was leaving the state entirely. She'd been fooling herself to think she and Jack could ever work together.
The announcer introduced her and Grace took the microphone. She wasn't sure she could get through this particular song without crying now. Why had she let that man get under her skin again? Why?
The music started and Grace brought the microphone up to her mouth. She looked out over the crowd. She looked at the screen that displayed the lyrics, even though she knew every word by heart. She looked anywhere but in Jack's direction while she sang, "Crazy, for thinking that my love could hold you. I'm crazy for tryin'. And crazy for cryin'. And I'm crazy for lovin' you."
Grace left the stage as the crowd applauded her performance and the next singers were called to the stage. She was relieved that neither Jack nor Rachel were anywhere in sight. Feeling exhausted, she grabbed her purse and said goodnight to Tony and Will. Of course, they both offered to take her back to the hotel, but Rachel wanted to walk. It wasn't far and she needed to clear her head. When she reached the hotel she'd have her return flight to New York transferred to next available flight. Hopefully that would be first thing in the morning.
She took the side exit hoping to avoid running into Rachel and Jack out front but she saw them as soon as her feet hit the sidewalk. They were on the corner having a heated but whispered discussion. Grace turned toward the alley, hoping they wouldn't notice her, but that was apparently too much to ask for.
"Grace! Where the fuck are you going?" Jack shouted at her back. Grace kept walking. She didn't have anything to say to him. And he'd said plenty to her with the silence all week. She heard his pounding footsteps approaching but she kept walking around the corner.
"I'm talking to you!" Jack grabbed her arm and spun her around.
"Oh, you want to talk to me now? Well it's too fucking late now! Where were you all week? Did you have something, or someone, better to do?" she practically screamed in his face. Fuck! She just had to blurt out her worst fear like that, didn't she? That had been the thought keeping her up at night, the one where she knew Jack had better things to do and more satisfying people to spend his time with. Tears of shame and remembered rejection filled Grace's eyes.
"What are you talking about? I wasn't with anyone! If you must know, I was going insane with the need to see you. Grace, I just didn't want to scare you away. I wanted you to have the time you needed to analyze the inner workings of Artifex without my interference." He tried to comfort her. She just wanted to go to the hotel and pack her shit.
"That's exactly what Rachel said you would say." She tugged her arm free and walked away.
"We aren't done here, Grace." Jack followed her.
"What is your problem? Why are you even here? And why would you give a shit if I was dancing with Will?" She didn't turn around. Christ! How long could this fucking alley be?
"You're such a fucking coward." He pulled her to a stop again and moved around to look down at her. She glared up at him.
What did he just call her? A fucking coward?
"So what, you're just going to run? Just like when we left school. You fucking coward. You're just going to disappear with no fucking reason. Rachel told me you know about Matthew. So now you're just going to run. You don't even have the balls to tell me you don't want me because I was going to marry a man." Jack looked disgusted.
Grace slapped him hard with her free hand. Son of a bitch! How could he do this to her? Why did she let him drive her to something as base and disgraceful as senseless violence for the second time in her life? The tears she'd been fighting spilled over her cheeks and all of the anger and fight bled away. Jack let go of her arm and backed up in shock.
"Don't ever accuse me of anything as hateful as prejudice again. I've never given you reason to believe that was true," she told him calmly.
"No? Then why did you leave me with no explanation after finally agreeing to be with me? The only reason I could see was that you finally saw me with another man. And that must have disgusted you," he replied sadly.
"You're partially correct, I did leave you after I saw you kissing Victor," she said and Jack winced. "But it wasn't because you were kissing a man. It was because someone was kissing my man. It didn't matter to me that the person you kissed was a man, Jack. In my heart and mind you were mine. Jack Landry belonged to me and nobody else. But I wasn't good enough for you. You still needed someone else to make you truly happy. I never blamed you for that, Jack. You never lied to me. I thought I could do it. I thought I could at least try to hold on until the day when I would be all you needed too. Then I saw you kissing Victor. And it destroyed me. I knew that one day I would grow so resentful of your needs that I would end up hating you. I never wanted to hate the only man I've ever loved, Jack. So I let you go. I just couldn't be second best, second in line, or in line at all. I just couldn't share you. I just . . . I couldn't."
Jack stared at her dumbstruck. He blinked a few times and Grace could practically see things shifting and rearranging behind his eyes.
"You . . . you loved me?" he asked shakily. Grace just nodded. She could say the words aloud. Jack slowly moved toward her. "Gracie, I'm so sorry, baby. I just wasn't . . ." His words trailed off. Grace didn't need him to say it. She already knew he hadn't been in love with her. She'd been the stereotypical needy female clinging to man who was only after pussy. Grace couldn't stand the look of pity in his eyes. She wiped the proof of her weakness for Jack from her eyes.
"I'm sorry I hit you. If you want to rescind your offer of employment I totally understand. I have to get going now." Grace needed to leave before she embarrassed herself any further.
"I thought you wanted to know why I was here tonight?" he asked and cautiously moved a little closer. He was probably afraid she'd hit him again. She didn't answer, because what could she say? She did want to know but she was done clinging to her childish dreams.
"I went to the hotel to find you, because I couldn't stay away any longer." He took a step closer. "I followed you to the bar for the same reason." He was right in her face now. "I acted like a possessive prick because you're my girl, Grace, only mine." He took her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers.
Grace was stunned. Jack kissed her slowly, deeply and she couldn't turn away. She had to kiss him back with all of the pent up desire inside of her. He thought she was his? In Grace's heart she'd always known she was his, but he hadn't felt the same way. What was he saying now?