Page 243 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
At home, I pull out all the stops with a three-course Italian dinner. Dad and Matt stayed late at the office on a conference call with a potential client, and they arrived home shortly before Jack pulled up.
He was dressed in jeans that fit him like a second skin and a V-neck sweater. Compared to the suit this morning, I preferred this more casual look. I greeted him warmly when he stepped into the kitchen.
"Something smells good," he said with an eager grin.
"Sit down," I said, motioning towards the table. "It's ready to serve."
The guys dug in, and Jack was quick to compliment me on her cooking. I thanked him graciously, but my good mood slowly evaporates as shop talk began to consume the dinner conversation. My dad and brother had a tendency to talk shop all the time, and now they were bringing Jack into their bad habit.
"Well, son," Dad said to Jack, "I hope you're ready for a trial by fire."
Oh no. Please don't be about to say what I think you're about to say.
"I'm ready for anything, Sir."
Dad cocked a bushy eyebrow. "I'm assigning you to Dexter Jansen."
"The guy on the phone today?"
I nodded. "Our new client."
Matt joined in. "He's a businessman who's entering production on a new product. He suspects a rival of resorting to corporate espionage to try and beat him to the market."
Dad took over. "It should be fairly standard. No real threat of danger. Just keeping an eye on anyone too interested in Dexter's movements."
I felt like Dad was downplaying the challenge of working with the jerk. "Can't you assign someone else to this detail? It's his first--"
"I can handle it," Jack interrupted, nodding in my father's direction.
"Good," Dad said, slapping him on the back. "I knew we could count on you. What say we grab a few beers and head out onto the porch to enjoy the end of the evening?"
The guys stood as one. Matt grabbed some beers from the fridge and they headed towards the back door. I could hear them talking about what strategy they'd established for the Jansen job.
I leaned back, feeling disappointed. I'd created a veritable feast, and what had I gotten for my efforts? Jack barely said two words to me. And now Dad had assigned him to Jansen, a class-A asshole.
Why doesn't anyone listen to me? Jack just got back from overseas, and he's clearly having some issues adjusting. So let's stick him on a protection detail with a guy who doesn't respect anyone without seven figures in the bank or more.
I began gathering the dishes, annoyed that they were out "enjoying the end of the evening" while I was here, cleaning up the meal that I’d had the decency to cook. Sometimes caring for her dad and brother seemed like more trouble than they were worth.
I'd just started the dishwasher when Jack entered the kitchen, his hands full of empty bottles. I took them from him, placing them in the recycling bin under the sink. "I'm sorry," he said, "I've been rude. I should have offered to help clean up."
His words melted some of the ice in my chest. "I've finished up now."
"Right," he said, lingering. "I owe you one, then." Jack opened the fridge and pulled out three more beers.
"I'm going to hold you to that," I said, leaning back against the counter.
He smiled, a slow smile that had me salivating. "I hope you do."
Then he walked out of the kitchen.
Man, I hated to see him go, but I loved watching him leave.
CHAPTER 5
JACK
It was a sunny day, and I was glad to be out of the office finally. I'd only been cooped up at Shadow Security for two days, but it was beginning to feel like a lifetime.
