Page 31 of Love Beyond the Illusion
Heidi continues, ignoring his gentle warning, “But I knew when we had dinner last week that something was different about him. He has this sparkle in his eyes that I’ve never seen before. I knew he had finally met someone special.”
My hands sweat. I’m speechless. It’s going to break her heart when she finds out we’re going tobreak upin less than two months. Jack and I were in Vegas last week—did he come home with that sparkle in his eye because he met me? No, that can’t be true. Our connection wasn’t real. It was simply having too much to drink. I’m sure we would have had the same connection with a lamp with how that night played out. I laugh on the inside.
Jack flashes me a lopsided grin. “Thanks, Mom, for embarrassing me the one time I do bring someone home.”
“Oh, Jack. It’s true.” She hooks an arm around both of us, then gestures to the entrance. “Let’s head inside, shall we?”
Jack steps in front of us, holding the door open as his mom and I enter the restaurant’s lively atmosphere. The server seats the three of us at a high pub-style table.
“We can drink our wine anytime. Let’s help some other small businesses tonight. What do you say?” Heidi beams, staring at the menu in front of her.
Jack turns to me, his elbow grazing mine on the table. “Does that sound alright?”
“Yes, that’s perfect. I’m looking forward to trying all of them.”
“Fabulous,” Heidi replies and twists in her chair to wave down our server. She orders two wine flights to share, choosing only local, smaller wineries.
After our flights arrive, we all grab different glasses to taste. Jack’s mother crosses her arms on the table and leans in. “Okay, so I would love to talk to you, Jack, but I want to get to know this beautiful woman.”
I glance to my side at Jack.
He smiles at her. “It’s okay. I’m sure you have a million questions.”
“Of course I do!” She turns to me with her face lit up. “My son says you’re a flight attendant, but he would only tell me that you both met in Phoenix. As you probably know, he’s a man of little words, so I’d love to hear all about it from you.”
I swallow hard, trying to hide any obvious signs of being nervous. “We met at a friend’s wedding last March. One of my friends was marrying the brother of another friend in our group, who happens to have also attended college with Jack.”
“That’s so sweet. You both run in the same circle of friends?”
Jack nods, setting his glass on the table. “Yes, you could say that.”
“That’s so important. Jack’s father and I were good friends before we fell in love, and it enhanced everything in our relationship,” she adds.
The tips of my ears burn at her mentioning being in love, and at the same time, I feel Jack shift in his seat next to me.
When the appetizers arrive, we spend a few minutes nibbling on the food before Heidi speaks again. “How long have you been a flight attendant?”
“Since I graduated from college,” I answer. I hope she doesn’t ask me questions about Roxy or my childhood. People don’t typically understand the unconventional way I grew up. Especially those people who weren’t raised by emotionally immature parents. I grow nervous about having to rattle off the bullshit line about my family to a genuinely kind person. The same line plays in my head like a skipped record. I’ve rehearsed and practiced many times over throughout my life.
Without realizing it, my right leg bounces. Suddenly, I feel Jack’s firm hand slip over my knee. He applies just enough pressure to calm my nerves and bring my leg to a still. It relaxes me instantly. “So, that’s about five years,” I continue as Jack’s thumb moves back and forth, caressing the top of my knee. It’s distracting but also pleasant.
“Do you enjoy it?” she asks.
“Yes, I love it. I get to have all these incredible experiences every time I go to work. Things are always changing and moving fast, but I take it all in and enjoy the ride.”
As the night progresses, we continue with light conversations. Jack’s mom tells me little things about his dad and how they met. She shares stories of Wine Country and how much she enjoys living here.
“Did Jack ever tell you that he wanted to be a professional roulette player when he was younger?” She laughs, clutching my hand from across the table.
Jack cocks his head to the side as his laugh comes out strained. “Oh, Mother.”
“He didn’t tell me that, but I find it completely believable,” I smirk. Jack’s eyes flicker in my direction, and I know exactly what he’s thinking. Memories of our night in Vegas when he took a few roulette games a little too seriously. He got bothered while trying to teach me his strategies, and I showed no interest.
“Alright, I think we’re good on the stories for tonight. Piper will be in town for the whole week, and I’m sure you’ll have another opportunity,” Jack says, flagging down our server to get the check.
“You’re right. I’m sure you both want to get some rest. How do you like The Vintage Inn and Villas?” Heidi’s face lights up.
“It’s beautiful.” I take the last sip of my wine.
