wasn’t thrilled myself."
“To be honest, I didn’t like that they ended at all.”
I swallowed. “How did you find me?”
“I tried to come to your room in the morning, but you were
already gone."
I kept my face as still as I could.
"So I tracked down Matteo and he gave me Megan’s email
address.”
“Megan knew you were coming?”
Jack nodded.
“Why would she tell you where I live?”
His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Because I’m crazy about you.
And I wanted to tell you what happened so you’d know my missing dinner had
nothing to do with my feelings for you.”
I felt a slight smile trying to emerge like the sun breaking
through clouds.
Jack clenched his jaw. “Sorry. I thought I knew what I was going
to say, but I’ve gone completely off script.”
“You’re doing fine,” I said. “Why don’t you start with why you
didn’t come to dinner?”
Jack scooted back a few inches on the couch. “It was an
emergency. My Dad was in an accident.”
“Is he okay?”
“No. He’s not okay. He’s a drunk.”
I realized I was holding my breath and exhaled.
“I didn’t tell you because I don’t tell anyone,” he said. “To
make a long story short, my Mom kicked him out years ago. He was drinking
himself into financial problems, getting into fights, spending nights in jail.
I was worried it would come out when I started getting publicity for my book.”
I nodded.
“I thought he might destroy his reputation and my career,” Jack
said. “So I took him to Thailand where the drinks were cheap and the cops could
be paid off when he got into trouble.” He looked down at the floor. “I didn’t
know what else to do. It was only ever supposed to be a temporary solution.”
“Did you try rehab?”
His eyes met mine. “Six times.”
“So the night we were supposed to have dinner…?”
“He drove my motorcycle into a mango cart. If he hadn't broken
his leg, they would've taken him to jail instead of the hospital. As far as I’m
concerned, he got lucky because I was in no mood to pay his bail after he made
me miss our date."
I placed a tentative hand on Jack’s shoulder. "I'm so
sorry."
“Not as sorry as I was thinking of you all dressed up for a
night out and feeling blown off.”
“I was really disappointed.”
“I would never do anything to hurt you,” he said. “I just wanted
to protect you from my Dad’s bullshit because you were on vacation.
Unfortunately, my plan backfired terribly.”
“I understand,” I said, lowering my voice.
“Do you really? Because I can’t bear-”
“My Dad’s an alcoholic, too. The accident I told you about- he
was drunk driving when it happened.”
Jack looked at me with a pain in his eyes I hadn't seen before.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, shaking his head.
I nodded. “Me too. For both of us.”
Jack took a sip of his coffee and forced a smile.
“Instant?”
I shrugged. “Sorry to disappoint.”
He put his cup down and turned to face me on the couch. “That's
the thing, Audrey. You could never disappoint me. That’s why it was killing me
to know I’d disappointed you.”
“Is that what you came all this way for?” I asked. “Just to say
you’re sorry?”
“And to check on your foot.”
I laughed.
“Seriously, though, I wanted to apologize in person and explain
my inexcusable behavior.”
“Well I forgive you,” I said, feeling instantly lighter.
“But there’s something else.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“I wanted to thank you,” he said.
I tilted my head at him. “For what?”
“For giving me some much needed perspective.”
“How’s that?”
“Thinking I’d lost you made me realize my priorities were all
screwed up.” He pursed his lips. “I don’t want to throw my life away
“To be honest, I didn’t like that they ended at all.”
I swallowed. “How did you find me?”
“I tried to come to your room in the morning, but you were
already gone."
I kept my face as still as I could.
"So I tracked down Matteo and he gave me Megan’s email
address.”
“Megan knew you were coming?”
Jack nodded.
“Why would she tell you where I live?”
His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Because I’m crazy about you.
And I wanted to tell you what happened so you’d know my missing dinner had
nothing to do with my feelings for you.”
I felt a slight smile trying to emerge like the sun breaking
through clouds.
Jack clenched his jaw. “Sorry. I thought I knew what I was going
to say, but I’ve gone completely off script.”
“You’re doing fine,” I said. “Why don’t you start with why you
didn’t come to dinner?”
Jack scooted back a few inches on the couch. “It was an
emergency. My Dad was in an accident.”
“Is he okay?”
“No. He’s not okay. He’s a drunk.”
I realized I was holding my breath and exhaled.
“I didn’t tell you because I don’t tell anyone,” he said. “To
make a long story short, my Mom kicked him out years ago. He was drinking
himself into financial problems, getting into fights, spending nights in jail.
I was worried it would come out when I started getting publicity for my book.”
I nodded.
“I thought he might destroy his reputation and my career,” Jack
said. “So I took him to Thailand where the drinks were cheap and the cops could
be paid off when he got into trouble.” He looked down at the floor. “I didn’t
know what else to do. It was only ever supposed to be a temporary solution.”
“Did you try rehab?”
His eyes met mine. “Six times.”
“So the night we were supposed to have dinner…?”
“He drove my motorcycle into a mango cart. If he hadn't broken
his leg, they would've taken him to jail instead of the hospital. As far as I’m
concerned, he got lucky because I was in no mood to pay his bail after he made
me miss our date."
I placed a tentative hand on Jack’s shoulder. "I'm so
sorry."
“Not as sorry as I was thinking of you all dressed up for a
night out and feeling blown off.”
“I was really disappointed.”
“I would never do anything to hurt you,” he said. “I just wanted
to protect you from my Dad’s bullshit because you were on vacation.
Unfortunately, my plan backfired terribly.”
“I understand,” I said, lowering my voice.
“Do you really? Because I can’t bear-”
“My Dad’s an alcoholic, too. The accident I told you about- he
was drunk driving when it happened.”
Jack looked at me with a pain in his eyes I hadn't seen before.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, shaking his head.
I nodded. “Me too. For both of us.”
Jack took a sip of his coffee and forced a smile.
“Instant?”
I shrugged. “Sorry to disappoint.”
He put his cup down and turned to face me on the couch. “That's
the thing, Audrey. You could never disappoint me. That’s why it was killing me
to know I’d disappointed you.”
“Is that what you came all this way for?” I asked. “Just to say
you’re sorry?”
“And to check on your foot.”
I laughed.
“Seriously, though, I wanted to apologize in person and explain
my inexcusable behavior.”
“Well I forgive you,” I said, feeling instantly lighter.
“But there’s something else.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“I wanted to thank you,” he said.
I tilted my head at him. “For what?”
“For giving me some much needed perspective.”
“How’s that?”
“Thinking I’d lost you made me realize my priorities were all
screwed up.” He pursed his lips. “I don’t want to throw my life away
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