I look at Jack unpacking his shopping bags and realise it’s all cake that he’s unpacking. My hips will not thank him, but I’m secretly happy about this development. I mostly go to the gym so I can eat cake. I both hate and love that he knows this about me. “I’m with him now. I can put you on speaker to discuss it.” It sounds like the worst idea he’s ever had, though. If anything will screw with Jack’s ability to maintain some form of routine, international travel will get the job done.
“Put him on,” Ashton says.
Jack meets my gaze, questioningly.
“Ashton has something to discuss with you,” I say.
Ashton details his plan once I switch the call to speaker, and Jack doesn’t take his eyes off mine while he listens.
Once Ashton finishes, Jack says, “I’m good with this.”
I desperately want to follow Ashton’s plan. More than desperately. I see a bright, happy future for me if I do. One that doesn’t involve me being anywhere in the vicinity of Jack.
He’ll go to London with Ashton and then the two of them will fly back here so that Ashton can hang out with him while he works through this part of his recovery. I’ll be in Sydney clearing Jack from my system.
The part of me that I know will never clear Jack from her system refuses to sit down and not be heard. She shouts loudly about how awful this plan is. She brings up the fact that international travel will mess even more with Jack’s sleep, and the fact that staying in a hotel is the worst idea for him right now, with all that easy access to alcohol. I want to tell her that at some point Jack needs to learn how to live in a world where he has easy access to booze and drugs, because that’s exactly the world he lives in. She just crosses her arms and looks at me with disappointment.
Goddamn her.
She and I will be having serious words later.
“I’m going to be the one to say I think this is a bad plan,” I say.
“It’s the only plan we have,” Ashton says, exhaustion lacing its way through his words. I imagine he’s been up all night trying to devise something better.
“It’s a good plan,” Jack says, but I don’t buy a word of it. Not when he’s watching me with an expression that says he’ll do whatever I need him to right now.
“It’s not,” I say. “You need—”
“I’ve got what I need, Jessica,” he says. “I’m good.”
“Yeah, you are,” I agree because he’s doing well here. “But you fly to London and disrupt your routine, and you may not be good for much longer. I don’t want to put your recovery at risk when we can come up with a better plan that won’t.”
“There is no other option,” Ashton says. “Lorelei can’t get away from work, otherwise she’d fly up there.”
The only other person who Jack could stay with is his mum, but she was admitted to hospital yesterday for a week so she can have pain management therapy to help her manage her arthritis pain.
“I’ll stay here with you,” I say, not even having to force the offer out of my mouth because that part of me I’ll be having words with later has completely taken charge.
“No,” Ashton says. “You’ve got family stuff on this weekend and then you need to get back to the office.” This is why he’s on my list of seven: we both know there’s absolutely no need for me to get back to the office. I can work from anywhere.
“I’ll hire a professional sober companion and stay here,” Jack says. “All sorted. I won’t need to travel. Ashton can go to London and focus on what he’s gotta take care of, and you can go home to Sydney.”
Ashton doesn’t respond to this new plan. Probably because he thinks it’s as bad as I do. I don’t care how qualified or good at their job a professional sober companion might be, they’ll be no match for Jack if he decides he wants a drink. Not like Ashton or I would be.
I point my finger at Jack. “You’re not hiring anyone and you’re not going anywhere except to Sydney with me tomorrow. You’ll stay with me at Will’s place. You’ll let his kids drive you insane all weekend, and then you’ll fly back here with me on Sunday. We’ll stay here until further notice. Ashton will go to London. End of story, and if either of you argue with me, there will be a fishing spear in it for both of you.”
Jack doesn’t say anything.
Ashton says, “A fishing spear?”
“Yes. Don’t argue, Ashton.” I exhale a long breath, my mind racing with a million thoughts about all the bracing I need to do now to survive Jack for longer than I originally anticipated. “I’m hanging up now because I have a hot date with some cake.”
Ashton says something about emailing me some information. I half listen and agree to get straight onto it. I then end the call and walk into the kitchen where Jack’s just watching me silently.
I move past him and open the fridge to survey the cake he bought.
“Jesus.” I look at him. “Don’t ever buy me this much cake again. Also, we’re going for another run this afternoon.”
“Jessica, you don’t need to do this.”
“It’s a bit late for that now. I can’t unsee all this cake.”
“As much as I want to keep you here forever, I know it’s costing you to stay, sweetheart. Go home.”
And that right there is why Jack is one of my seven people even though I’ve told him I don’t want to be his friend again. The man might have his faults, but he loves so completely and selflessly that I can never not love him back.
“I’m not going home, Jack.” I reach for the piece of carrot cake I spy on the second shelf of the fridge. “I’m going to eat this cake while you narrow down your bathroom renovation selections. I’ll place the order this afternoon. God knows we need a project to keep you busy next week. A man can only sun himself for so long.”
16
Jack
Jessica and I arrive at Will’s place in Sydney just after 8:15 a.m. on Saturday morning. We bring two of the security guys with us after arguing over how many we need. I want to bring them all, but Jessica argues that’s overkill. In the end, Axe steps in and agrees with her, so he and Robert make the trip with us while the other four stay at my property.
When we arrive, Axe and Robert do their thing, checking the area and figuring out their strategy while Jessica and I go inside. Axe and Jessica doubt our location will be discovered. I’m a cynic when it comes to the paparazzi and am not as convinced, but I don’t voice that. Not while Jessica’s in the mood she’s in this morning.
She’s stressed, which is not something she’s known for. From what she’s mentioned, she’s dealing with problems that have cropped up for her and Ashton in London and New York overnight. She’s been on her phone from the minute she got up trying to fix whatever it is. The fact that Ashton ended up flying out late yesterday afternoon doesn’t help. He’s still in the air, leaving her to deal with everything by herself.
Mira lets us in when we arrive. She gives me a smile, a hug, and says, “It’s been a while, Jack.”