How To Bake The Perfect Apple Pie

I cannot believe it. The car slows and Jack is pulling up in front of Mantras. One of my favorite Indian restaurants.

“How did you know about this place?” I scrutinize his face and stare directly at him. I want to pull the answers from his mind. How could he know?

“Good question, Lauren. I’m going to let you in on a secret, but you have to promise to keep it between the two of us.” He inspects me, waiting for a response.

This is silly. But I oblige. “Yes, I’ll keep it a secret.”

Jack leans in to my ear and whispers, “Google.”

My shoulders slump and I groan. I can’t roll my eyes back far enough. “Haha. Fine.”

I unbuckle my seat belt but before I can lift the handle on the door Jack is pulling it open.

“Come on, let’s experience an array of flavors.” Jack pulls me in close to him and kisses my lips. I almost melt. But it’s cold and though I’m heated, I’m not a puddle. Jack leads me to the restaurant and we enter through the dark door.

***

We’re back at my house and after my third glass of wine I run my eyes over Jack’s face. His eyes are full of worry. He looks exhausted.

“I don’t understand. Why you don’t hire a manager to replace Sherry?” I sip my wine.

Jack runs a hand through his blond hair. He takes a gulp of his wine and places it on my coffee table. “Lauren, would you consider coming back to Texas and helping me run Vintage Estates?”

I blink several times. After Sherry took off with all the money from Vintage Estates, and then some, I had helped Jack get things somewhat settled over Christmas. His Aunt Minnie had transferred a large sum of money to help get Vintage Estates sorted financially and I’d helped organize all of the accounts and bills. He had asked then if I would stay, but I told him I couldn’t because of my promotion and that was before he asked me to marry him.

“Jack…I can’t. I just started my new position. It would jeopardize everything I’ve been working towards to leave it.” I wipe a hair off my face.

He shakes his head. “I know, I’m sorry for asking. I just…it would make things so much easier if you were at my side.” Jack pulls me into his lap.

I bite my lip. Shiat. This is so difficult. My heart is screaming at me, telling me to say yes and rush off to help Jack and Vintage Estates. But my brain has thrown a big foot down and blared veto power music in my mind. Leaving my job right now would be career suicide. I can’t and won’t do it. It’s just not right. I owe my business-self more than just to rush off with some guy. Argh…but he isn’t just some guy…he’s Jack and we’re supposed to be getting married.

One of us will have to budge. One of us will have to move. Why shouldn’t it be me? I swallow. But why shouldn’t it be him?

“Listen, I really want to…but it just doesn’t make sense businesswise for me.” I bite the inside of my cheek. That was a really callous thing to say. “I mean…it would be suicide for my career.”

Jack leans forward and pours more wine into our glasses. He takes a long sip. “You’re right and I’m proud of you for not buckling. It might be the easiest option but it doesn’t mean it’s the right one. I’ll figure something out.” He puts his wineglass down on my coffee table and places his hand on the back of my head.

“We’ll figure something out. You’re not alone in this, Jack. This isn’t all on you. We’re a team now, right?”

He smiles at me. “Right.” Our lips meet and I’m being led away from my worries, away from the what-ifs and hows. Nothing is there, just bliss. Pure, deep, loving kisses. Kisses that roll a tidal wave of security over me and I’m going under.

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